Mochtar Lubis was one of Indonesia s best-known newspaper editors, authors and cultural figures, with a national, regional and international prominence that he retained from the early 1950s until his recent death in 2004. This book traces the major events in the life of Mochtar Lubis, which is also a prism through which much of Indonesia s post-independence history can be interpreted. This book is also the story of Indonesia in the second half of the twentieth century, when the people of the archipelago became an independent nation, and when print media and the influential figures who controlled and produced newspapers, played a pivotal role in national political, educational and cultural life, defining Indonesia. Editors with strong personalities dominated the industry and sparred with the nation s leadership; Lubis was a vocal critic of the abuse of power and a thorn in the side of the country s first two presidents, becoming synonymous with combative journalism. Under both Sukarno and Suharto, Lubis had his newspaper closed down and was imprisoned. As the only comprehensive biography of this towering figure, the book provides a unique insight into the history and development of media, literature and the political system in Indonesia.

Mochtar Lubis was one of Indonesia's best-known newspaper editors, authors and cultural figures, with a national, regional and international prominence that he retained from the early 1950s until his recent death in 2004. This book traces the major events in the life of Mochtar Lubis, which is also a prism through which much of Indonesia's post-independence history can be interpreted. This book is also the story of Indonesia in the second half of the twentieth century, when the people of the archipelago became an independent nation, and when print media and the influential figures who controlled and produced newspapers, played a pivotal role in national political, educational and cultural life, defining Indonesia. Editors with strong personalities dominated the industry and sparred with the nation's leadership; Lubis was a vocal critic of the abuse of power and a thorn in the side of the country's first two presidents, becoming synonymous with combative journalism. Under both Sukarno and Suharto, Lubis had his newspaper closed down and was imprisoned. As the only comprehensive biography of this towering figure, the book provides a unique insight into the history and development of media, literature and the political system in Indonesia.

Series Information:
Asia's Transformations/RoutledgeCurzon Studies in Asia's Transformations

The Internet in Indonesia's New Democracy is a detailed study of legal, economic, political and cultural practices surrounding the provision and consumption of the Internet in Indonesia at the turn of the twenty-first century. Hill and Sen detail the emergence of the Internet into Indonesia in the mid-1990s, and cover its growth through the dramatic economic and political crises of 1997 and the subsequent transition to democracy. Conceptually the Internet is seen as a global phenomenon, with global implications, however this book develops a way of thinking about the Internet within the limits of geo-political categories of nations and provinces. The political turmoil in Indonesia provides a unique context in which to understand the specific local and national consequences of a global, universal technology.

The Press in New Order Indonesia is the most comprehensive book available in English on the print media during the Suharto presidency. Based on detailed and investigative research, it provides a succinct introduction to the political and economic forces shaping this dominant sector of the Indonesian media at a pivotal time in its development. The study documents the history of the press prior to the rise of President Suharto, surveys the changing New Order policies to the media, and analyses the various modes of control exercised through powerful government agencies and industry bodies.

Throughout this critical historical period of political tension and economic transition, The Press in New Order Indonesia traces the development of huge media conglomerates which began to rival military muscle in shaping the media landscape of Indonesia. This study explains how the student press spilled off the campuses to play a unique political role. By contrast, a distinctly Islamic press achieved only very modest success. Focusing on Indonesian-language national daily newspapers, it also discusses news weeklies, periodicals and magazines, as well as publications in regional languages, English and Chinese. Brought back to life in Equinox Publishing's Classic Indonesia series, The Press in New Order Indonesia is required reading for students of Indonesian languages and cultures, Asian studies, Southeast Asian studies, media studies, journalism, and contemporary politics.

David T. Hill is Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and Fellow of the Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia.

Media, Culture, and Politics in Indonesia is about the institutions and policies that determine what Indonesians write, read, watch, and hear. It covers the print media, broadcast radio and television, computers and the internet, videos, films and music. This book argues that the texts of the media can be understood in two broad ways: . as records of a "national" culture and political hegemony constructed by Suharto's New Order . as contradictory, dissident, political and cultural aspirations that reflect the anxieties and preoccupations of Indonesian citizens. Media, Culture, and Politics, now brought back to life as a member of Equinox Publishing's Classic Indonesia series, explains what has escaped state control, not only by self-conscious resistance, but also because of the ownership patterns, technologies, and modes of consumption of media texts and institutions. The role of the media in the downfall of Suharto is examined and the legacy of his New Order is analyzed. This dynamic and innovative text is suitable for all students of Indonesian languages and culture, Asian studies, Southeast Asian studies, cultural studies, media studies, and contemporary politics. Krishna Sen is Professor of Asian Media and Dean of the Humanities Research Centre at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia David T. Hill is Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and Fellow of the Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia