Papers

• Indonesia - A Muslim Voice in the Indo-Pacific: Cautious Strategic Diplomatic Maneuvers of a Rising Global Middle Power Mark Philip Stadler University of Copenhagen

  The Republic of Indonesia, with its 17.000 islands the largest archipelagic state in the world and a nation of some 275 million people, is home to the largest Muslim population in the world. In the 21st century, the country will become the third most populous state (overtaking the United States), a top-ten economy by GDP globally and a political power regionally.

• Indonesia’s Islamic Science Diplomacy Amanda tho Seeth German Institute for Global and Area Studies

  This paper discusses how Indonesia is currently using Islam-based and Islam-framed science as a tool for diplomatic practice and as a source of soft power. While for centuries, authority over Islamic knowledge production has been located in the Arab region, Indonesia has recently embarked on a strategy to establish itself as a progressive, moderate and democratic educational alternative, thereby aiming to challenge existing power hierarchies and imbalances within the Islamic world and seeking to get rid of its widely perceived status as an “Islamic periphery”. The paper focuses on three crucial elements of this “Islamic science diplomacy”, namely narratives, actors, and networks.

• Indonesia’s Digital Diplomacy Evolution Albert Triwibowo University of Rostock & Parahyangan Catholic University

  Technological developments have encouraged the use of digital instruments, such as social media, to support diplomatic activities. This phenomenon has coined the concept of digital diplomacy. In practice, digitalization is considered to affect the forms of communication and information dissemination that previously existed in diplomatic activities. The use of digital instruments ultimately encourages changes in the practice of diplomacy, especially those carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The digitalization of diplomatic conduct is then conceptualized as a long-term process of evolution. Every Ministry of Foreign Affairs experience a unique process of digital diplomacy. By using Indonesia as an example and the stages of digitalization in diplomacy developed by Manor, this paper shows how digitalization develops in Indonesian diplomacy and how Indonesia defines digital diplomacy. This paper argues that the evolution of Indonesia’s digital diplomacy is influenced by strategic decisions in domestic context, which is to utilize digital instrument for issues related to Indonesian people and also to garner domestic support. Furthermore, Indonesia interprets digital diplomacy in the context of accountability, information dissemination and communication with the public, both domestic and foreign audience. This paper is based on qualitative research methods based on primary data in the form of interviews with Indonesian diplomats, academics, researchers, government regulations and official statements. In addition, secondary data in the form of news, research and articles related to Indonesia’s digital diplomacy are also used to support this paper.

• Islamic Popular Culture: In Search of a Place in Indonesian Diplomacy Donna Isyrina Fitrah Indonesian Consulate in Frankfurt Wendy Andhika Prajuli Humboldt University of Berlin

  This paper argues that Islamic popular culture needs to be more engaged in Indonesian diplomacy because it would give advantages for the country, namely international promotion of moderate Islam, and boosting Indonesia’s attractiveness globally. Therefore, this paper proposes three policy options. Firstly, incorporating Islamic pop-culture in the regular events and communication media of all Indonesian Missions overseas. Secondly, organizing events for Islamic pop-culture on a regular basis in targeted countries. Thirdly, creating a national grand strategy for exporting Indonesian Islamic pop-culture to foreign countries.

Abstract

Keywords

• Digitalization
• Indonesia
• International Relations
• Islam
• Media