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Interview with the former Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan: Southeast Asia’s Future

05.8.24

On April 23, 2024, HKS Student Policy Review Senior Editor John McQuillan spoke with former Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan. The conversation focused on a range of topics related to the future of Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Development and Economic Growth

Chinese-Indonesians Face Long Road to National Integration, Except During Elections

01.31.24

Indonesia takes pride in its national motto ‘unity in diversity.’ For its ethnic Chinese minorities, however, this phrase rings hollow.

Gender, Race and Identity

Elevating Trash Talk: Addressing Jakarta’s Organic Waste Problem

04.15.20

Every year, we throw away about one-third of the world’s food. This is the equivalent of USD 936 billion, more than the Netherlands’ entire GDP.1 Most of this food is dumped in landfills where it decomposes and produces greenhouse gases (GHG). In 2010, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that about 3 percent […]

Made in Somewhere Else: How Premature Deindustrialization Undermines the Development of Indonesia and other Emerging Economies

03.2.20

In its 1993 report, the World Bank classified Indonesia as one of the “Asian Miracles”[1]. Indonesia was on the track towards industrialization and development. It had begun to transition from agriculture and raw commodities to manufacturing. In 2000, Indonesia’s computer export was twice the value of its palm oil export[2]. Fast forward to today, and […]

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok

Jailing of Jakarta’s Governor Calls into Question Indonesia’s Core Values

05.12.17

The parallels between May 9th and November 9th are uncanny. Six months ago, I witnessed a man gain the U.S. presidency thanks, in part, to rising racial resentment. Now, I am watching as one of the most inspirational political leaders from my home district of Jakarta, Indonesia, is robbed of his power by a similarly […]

Democracy and Governance

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