Indonesia Update Book Launch: How Jokowi Changed Indonesia
The ANU Indonesia Project’s hosted the launch of its latest Indonesia Update Book, The Jokowi Presidency. The event brought together editors Sana Jaffrey and Eve Warburton to discuss the legacies, challenges, and debates sparked by one of Indonesia’s most consequential leaders. The book was officially launched by prominent lawyer and human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis, underscoring the significance of its contribution to public discourse.
The Jokowi Presidency examines the political evolution of President Joko Widodo and assesses his impact on Indonesia across multiple spheres. The volume portrays his decade in office as a period of authoritarian revival, characterized by statist developmentalism in the economic domain alongside the resurgence of New Order, era methods of political co-optation and repression. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of Jokowi as a disruptive president, whose ambitious developmental agenda advanced economic objectives while imposing significant costs on democratic governance.
The launch facilitated a rich discussion among editors, authors, and attendees, highlighting the interplay between economic development, political strategy, and the evolving landscape of Indonesian democracy. It reflected the ANU Indonesia Project’s ongoing commitment to supporting scholarly engagement with Indonesia’s complex political and social transformations.