the study of Indonesia is experiencing a shift among Australian students
Written by on July 26, 2023
the study of Indonesia is experiencing a shift among Australian students
Over the last few decades, the nature of Indonesia-related expertise in Australian universities has changed dramatically. During the late 1980s, the art faculty where I studied included many scholars with expertise in the symbolic dimensions of Indonesian social and political life. They study history, performance genres, literature, music, and the social conditions of Indonesian society.
After retirement, these scholars were not replaced by academics with the same specialization, and the focus of expertise related to Indonesia has shifted. Currently, academic activities about Indonesia are more focused on the material conditions faced by Indonesian individuals and groups, as well as the policies and infrastructure that bear them. In other words, the focus of scientific expertise has shifted from knowledge of the symbolic parts of Indonesian life to a concern for material and social well-being and the governance systems that can ensure it.
This shift brings the academy into line with what I observe to be characteristic of the Australian imagination of Indonesia: Australians like to establish Indonesia as a beneficiary. If the Australians have given a brand label to Indonesia, it is “need a brand”. Our university departments are now dedicated to this development, working towards alleviating the problems faced by Indonesian society in the areas of environment, disability, health, governance capacity, policy formulation. It seems that “helping Indonesia” is now more prominent than “learning about Indonesia”.
As the program leader responsible for teaching and studying Indonesian, I am surprised that there is a link between this trend in Australian public discourse and the low interest in Indonesia among young people.
The depth of the problem emerges through comparison with other languages and courses of study. In looking at four of my colleagues in the French language program at the G8 university where I teach, I observe that one of them is an expert in contemporary French philosophy, literature, and theology. The second examines cinema, Paris’ cultural history, art, fashion and celebrity studies. The third examines French Literature with an eye on race and queer theory. The fourth studies sub-Saharan Francophone literature and French postcolonial/decolonial theory.
All of their expertise is centered on understanding the symbolic dimension of French society. Their scientific activity does not show a tendency to help French society, but proceeds from a position of respect and respect for French civilization (in the broadest sense). And students’ interest in learning French is high. In semester 1 of 2023, units for students who wish to learn French without existing abilities attracted 120 students. The equivalent units in Indonesian draw 16, and this number is high when compared to previous years.
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