Strangers Next Door?: Indonesia and Australia in the Asian Century

Description

There are no two neighbouring countries anywhere in the world that are more different than Indonesia and Australia. They differ hugely in religion, language, culture, history, geography, race, economics, worldview and population (Indonesia, 270 million, Australia less than 10 per cent of that). In fact, Indonesia and Australia have almost nothing in common other than the accident of geographic proximity. This makes their relationship turbulent, volatile and often unpredictable. Strangers Next Door? brings together insiders and leading observers to critically assess the state of Australia-Indonesia relations and their future prospects, offering insights into why the relationship is so important for Australia, why it is so often in crisis, and what this means for the future. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the Indo-Pacific region, Southeast Asia, Australia and Indonesia, and each country's politics, economy and foreign policy. It contains chapters that will interest specialists but are written in a style accessible to a general audience. The book spans a diverse range of subjects, including political relations and diplomacy, security and defence, the economy and trade, Islam, education, development, the arts, legal cooperation, the media, women, and community ties. Contributors assess the current state of relations in their sphere of expertise, and outline the factors and policies that could shape bilateral ties - and Indonesia's future - over the coming decades. University of Melbourne scholars Tim Lindsey and Dave McRae, both prominent observers and commentators on Indonesia and its relations with Australia, edited the volume, providing a synthesising overview as well as their own thematic chapters.

Tim Lindsey is Malcolm Smith Professor of Asian Law, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne. Dave McRae is Senior Lecturer at the Asia Institute, Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne; and an Associate of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at Melbourne Law School.

... a great richness of approaches and experiences, especially where so many of the authors have extensive on-the-ground experience of their respective topics. -- Richard Robison, Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University * Journal of Contemporary Asia * Relationships just bob around, almost directionless. The ocean is currently calm. That's temporary. More understanding, port and starboard, is needed to weather the inevitable storms. This book provides some ballast. -- Duncan Graham * The Jakarta Post * This book soberly makes the case for closer Indonesia-Australia ties, and offers constructive ideas for how they might be achieved. -- David Fettling * Australian Book Review * Strangers Next Door? is an indispensable contribution to the study of Indonesia-Australia relations and Asian studies in general. -- Evan Laksmana * Contemporary Southeast Asia * Strangers Next Door? Indonesia and Australia in the Asian Century is the most comprehensive scholarly analysis of the Australia-Indonesia relationship this century... This book will be required reading for any diplomat, journalist, academic, student or interested reader of the Australia-Indonesia relationship. Prominent scholars and well-known commentators on the relationship over the past four decades provide meaningful contributions in their respective fields. As such, this a formidable anthology that will be widely cited. -- Ross Tapsell, Australian National University * Asian Studies Review * [T]his is a highly competent and lucid addition to the field, one that sets a new benchmark. -- David Reeve, University of New South Wales, Sydney * South East Asia Research * [A]n invaluable contribution to the literature on the relationship between Indonesia and Australia. Its breadth makes it a book for all audiences, with every reader interested in the relationship able to gain new insights from its pages. -- Sian Troath, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia * Pacific Affairs *