This course introduces students to contemporary Indonesia, a fascinating country of over 275 million people just north of Australia. The unifying focus of the course is enabling students to see solutions to contemporary global problems through the lens of Indonesians and 'Indonesian studies' - a body of research with a long and illustrious history at the Australian National University. The course will analyse and critically assess Indonesia’s responses to pressing global issues, including climate change, gender equality, digital technologies, migration, and new social movements. Students will explore the dynamics of social relations of Indonesia within its ‘Island Southeast Asia’ region allowing for some comparative analysis. Students will develop skills essential for careers in policy analysis, government, education, the development sector, cultural institutions, media, and technology. The course also advocates for knowing Indonesia not only because it is the largest Muslim majority country and 'strategically important', but because it will open doors to a more resilient, invigorating and intellectually stimulating world. Many of our graduates testify that these qualities of Indonesia are crucial for their ongoing engagement with the country beyond university study. Because of this, we utilize case studies of Indonesian anthropology, literature, social media creatives, Islamic ‘industries’, indigenous philosophies, art, music and performance.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Identify and explain central issues involving culture and environment in contemporary Indonesia
- Demonstrate an understanding of the way in which anthropology, gender and cultural studies provide a lens to understanding the social contexts of society
- Critically evaluate, compare and discuss arguments made in the field of Indonesian studies and Southeast Asian studies;
- Apply analytical skills to develop a deeper understanding of the dynamics of social relations in the region;
- Formulate their own views and arguments on the topics of the course, both orally and in writing.
Other Information
No prior knowledge of, or experience in Indonesia is required to undertake this course.
Indicative Assessment
- Class participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,5]
- Discussion posts (7 x 5% each) (35) [LO 1,2,3,5]
- In-class presentation (20) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Research essay 2,100 words (35) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The course requires three contact hours each week. The total workload for the course is 130 hours including independent study.Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Readings will be provided on the Wattle page.Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $3780 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $5280 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8669 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |
