Join us for the launch of The Indonesian Left in the twentieth century: Beyond the rise and fall of a party, an edited volume bringing together a new generation of scholars rethinking the history and global significance of the Indonesian Left. The event includes a talk with experts, as well as a 30-minute short film screening related to the book’s topic, followed by drinks.

About the book

The Indonesian Left in the twentieth century highlights the work of a new generation of scholars who have reignited the study of the Indonesian Left, particularly the PKI, across continents and disciplines. It reinterprets the Indonesian Left and its associated organisations not simply as a local and national phenomenon but as a force of global relevance. Historically, the Left has always been constructed in conversation and contestation with, on the one hand, the colonial and postcolonial state and, on the other, the communist epicentres of Moscow and Beijing. Moving beyond party-centred narratives, the chapters in this volume demonstrate how diverse global networks and ideologies were translated and transformed within very local, situation-specific environments. In doing so, they foreground the contributions of people and organizations often relegated to the margins of the PKI, illuminating the Indonesian Left as a dynamic site of transnational and local interaction.

Speakers

Alex de Jong, Klaas Stutje, Rika Theo , Saskia Wieringa.

Format, date, time & venue

This seminar is an onsite event and will be held in the conference room of KITLV, Herta Mohr building, room 1.30, Witte Singel 27 A, Leiden on Wednesday 7 October from 15.30–17.55 PM (CET), including drinks.