The Australian contribution to Indonesian Studies: motivations and achievements.

What is it about?

The Australian contribution to Indonesian Studies is somewhat distinctive, balanced between the British-influenced heritage of Orientalism and imperial history and the U.S. social science preoccupation with the new nationalisms. To understand it, a dichotomy of motivations may be useful. Many entered the field through 'Reformism', supporting the aspirations of young western-educated nationalists for western, secular democratic values. Eventually, however, the appeal of difference, alterity, became influential.

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Why is it important?

By hindsight, the Australian plunge into Indonesian Studies in the 1960s and '70s needs to be explained as having particular motivations.