August 17, 2015 edition
Dewi Anggraeni*
What is nationalism?
Of the definitions offered in various online dictionaries, I relate most with that in merriam-webster.com, which specifies that nationalism is 'a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries'. Having stated that, this is not a sociological or even literary paper on nationalism. It is rather, a personal take on the concept by someone who has lived almost two-thirds of her lifetime in Australia, yet has not shed her Indonesian self.
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More Column articles in other editions
July 28, 2015 edition
Neles Tebay
On July 17, violence exploded in Karubaga, capital of Tolikara district in Papua province. Dozens of stalls and houses were set on fire, which spread to a nearby mosque. One youth was killed and 11 civilians were injured in the shootout that followed. Let us name this incident as the 'Tolikara Case'.
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July 14, 2015 edition
Noor Huda Ismail
The Jokowi administration hopes Nusantara Islam (IN) will be the key to success in the state's de-radicalization efforts, which have often been labelled as a series of failures. De-radicalization efforts thus far have been considered ineffectual for two reasons. First, efforts were unable to eliminate the threat of terrorism since the first Bali bombing in 2002, and second, the program has not prevented hundreds of Indonesians from travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight with IS and An Nusro.
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July 7, 2015 edition
June 30, 2015 edition
Dian Ayu Yustina*
Recent shifts in the global economy has put considerable pressure on the rupiah. Issues ranging from the potential rise in the US dollar interest rate, China's weakening growth to the uncertainty of Greece's debt negotiations, have all weakened the rupiah. We have seen the currency dropping to Rp13,367 per US dollar, its weakest level since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
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June 23, 2015 edition