Author: Greg Barton
Publisher: Equinox Publishing
ISBN: 9799589851
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 439
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Book Description
In October 1999, Abdurrahman Wahid, almost blind and recovering from a nearfatal stroke, was elected as Indonesia's fourth president. Referred to as 'Indonesia's surprising new president' by the Economist, the man who had commanded the highest respect of his fellow countrymen for his lifetime devotion to public service, liberal democracy and tolerant Islam, was impeached in humiliating and controversial circumstances less than two years later. Wise to some, insolent to others, Abdurrahman's mercurial style of leadership constantly confounded critics and ultimately caused him to be widely misunderstood by both domestic and international observers. For the first time, biographer Greg Barton delves beneath the surface and gives us a unique insight into the man and his world drawn from his long relationship with Gus Dur - including being at his side during the final extraordinary months of the presidency. Those interested in the drama of modern Indonesian politics will find this book provides a fascinating and invaluable account of the enigmatic Gus Dur.
Author: Greg Barton
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : id
Pages : 444
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Book Description
In humiliating circumstances, Indonesia's first democratically elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid, was forced from office in July 2001 after less than two years in the job. Wahid, almost blind and still recovering from a near-fatal stroke, was widely misunderstood in the West, even being seen as a somewhat comical figure. But in Indonesia the Muslim scholar affectionately known as Gus Dur to millions of people had long been revered by many of his countrymen and highly respected by the country's elites. His life had been one of great public service to his fellow citizens, his religion, and his belief in liberal democracy. In this authorized biography, much of it based on unique first-hand observation, Greg Barton introduces us to both the man and his world and attempts to make sense of his controversial public career and presidency. Barton has known Wahid since 1988, when he started researching the influence of Islamic liberalism in Indonesia, and has subsequently spent many months with his subject, including seven months during Wahid's 21-month presidency, both in Indonesia and travelling with him abroad. Anyone who is at all interested in the drama of modern Indonesia will find this view from the inside an essential read.
Author: Daisaku Ikeda
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857726358
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 161
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Book Description
What do Buddhism and Islam have in common? And what positive characteristics might Buddhist Japan and Muslim Indonesia be able to offer one another? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion which draws on creative artists and thinkers as diverse as Beethoven, Goethe, Tolstoy, Thomas Jefferson and Akira Kurosawa distinguished representatives from each country demonstrate that meaningful dialogue between religions and cultures begins with a one-to-one conversation between individuals. Addressing the similarities of their nations as island peoples, with a shared history of trade and cultural exchange, Abdurrahman Wahid and Daisaku Ikeda agree that the aim of dialogue, like that of Buddhism and Islam alike, is fundamentally the goal of peace. A pivotal moment in the conversation comes when reference is made to the Indonesian story of the Bamboo Princess, from the Chronicle of the Kings of Pasai; this is seen to bear close resemblance to the Japanese Taketori Monogatari, or 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'. Such narrative interrelationship which can be discerned even in the midst of religious and cultural distinctiveness emerges as a powerful symbol of the common humanity not just of Indonesia and Japan but of all cultures. Both thinkers continue to draw on their respective traditions, on their personal experiences of war and adversity, and especially on the lives of the Buddha and the Prophet Mohammed, to show that harmony springs from an attitude of tolerance and nonviolence which is where true courage resides. Whether masterfully expounding the teachings of Nichiren, or indicating that a proper understanding of jihad is not about religious conflict but about communicating the truth of Allah, the discussants mutually transform our understandings of value, pluralism, and amity.
Author: Leo Suryadinata
Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
ISBN: 9789812301215
Category : Political Science
Languages : id
Pages : 300
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Book Description
An analysis of the 1999 Indonesian general election and subsequent presidential election in the context of Indonesian elections and politics. The book highlights major characteristics of Indonesian society and culture which affect electoral behaviour, namely ethnicity, regionalism and religion.
Author: Wimar Witoelar
Publisher: Equinox Publishing
ISBN: 9799589843
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : id
Pages : 201
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Book Description
"Gus Dur, you need some help. You are facing political sabotage and a hostile media. You need some kind of spokesman to explain and clarify your views so ordinary Indonesians can understand. You need someone like Wimar Witoelar." "No," Gus Dur replied, "I don t need someone like Wimar Witoelar. I need Wimar Witoelar." With those words, well-known media personality Wimar Witoelar found himself in the line of fire for a tumultuous ten months as Gus Dur's Chief Presidential Spokesman. Now, after the dust has settled, Wimar is able to say all the things he always wanted to but couldn't. He pointedly answers his critics and tells the story of what really happened behind-the-scenes during the final months of Indonesia s first democratically-elected leader. Filled with fascinating insights and revelations, NO REGRETS is a candid and witty expos on the inner workings of the cut-throat political life of post-Soeharto Indonesia. Be prepared to have your opinions and views of Gus Dur's presidency-and also of contemporary Indonesian politics-dramatically altered by the person who saw it all: Indonesia's one-of-a kind Wimar Witoelar.
Author: Damien Kingsbury
Publisher: Monash University Press
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 66
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Book Description
Author: Shahla Haeri
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107123038
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 283
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Book Description
A cross-cultural and ethno-historical perspective exploring the lives and legacies of several Muslim women rulers from medieval to modern times.
Author: Marcus Mietzner
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 104
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Book Description
This study discusses the process of military reform in Indonesia after the fall of Suharto?s New Order regime in 1998. The extent of Indonesia?s progress in this area has been the subject of heated debate, both in Indonesia and in Western capitals. Human rights organizations and critical academics, on the one hand, have argued that the reforms implemented so far have been largely superficial, and that Indonesia?s armed forces remain a highly problematic institution. Foreign proponents of military assistance to Indonesia, on the other hand, have asserted that the military has undergone radical change, as evidenced by its complete extraction from political institutions. This study evaluates the state of military reform eight years after the end of authoritarian rule, pointing to both significant achievements and serious shortcomings. Although the armed forces in the new democratic polity no longer function as the backbone of a powerful centralist regime and have lost many of their previous privileges, the military has been able to protect its core institutional interests by successfully fending off demands to reform the territorial command structure. As the military?s primary source of political influence and off-budget revenue, the persistence of the territorial system has ensured that the Indonesian armed forces have not been fully subordinated to democratic civilian control. This ambiguous transition outcome so far poses difficult challenges to domestic and foreign policymakers, who have to find ways of effectively engaging with the military to drive the reform process forward.This is the twenty-third publication in Policy Studies, a peer-reviewed East-West Center Washington series that presents scholarly analysis of key contemporary domestic and international political, economic, and strategic issues affecting Asia in a policy relevant manner.
Author: Anthony L Smith
Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
ISBN: 9789812301154
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 244
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Book Description
This volume is a collection of chapters on the Indonesian economy under Abdurrahman Wahid (popularly known as Gus Dur). Contributions come from many leading Indonesian commentators and practitioners of the past and present, and there are also chapters from representatives of international assistance agencies. The authors provide a mid-term assessment of the challenges facing Indonesia's economic development and suggestions for future directions. The themes covered are, inter alia, overall political and macroeconomic stability, bank and corporate restructuring, decentralization, corruption, and socio-economic trends. This book will be of interest to those wishing to assess the varying perspectives held by Indonesian officials and commentators, officials from multilateral agencies, and academics, in a single volume.
Author: Greg Barton
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 9780824826222
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 442
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Book Description
In humiliating circumstances, Indonesia's first democratically elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid, was forced from office in July 2001 after less than two years in the job. Wahid, almost blind and still recovering from a near-fatal stroke, was widely misunderstood in the West, even being seen as a somewhat comical figure. But in Indonesia the Muslim scholar affectionately known as Gus Dur to millions of people had long been revered by many of his countrymen and highly respected by the country's elites. His life had been one of great public service to his fellow citizens, his religion, and his belief in liberal democracy. In this authorized biography, much of it based on unique first-hand observation, Greg Barton introduces us to both the man and his world and attempts to make sense of his controversial public career and presidency. Barton has known Wahid since 1988, when he started researching the influence of Islamic liberalism in Indonesia, and has subsequently spent many months with his subject, including seven months during Wahid's 21-month presidency, both in Indonesia and travelling with him abroad. Anyone who is at all interested in the drama of modern Indonesia will find this view from the inside an essential read.
