Man of Contradictions: A Lowy Institute Paper: Penguin Special

Download or read book Man of Contradictions: A Lowy Institute Paper: Penguin Special written by Ben Bland and published by Penguin Group Australia. This book was released on 2020-09-01 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From a riverside shack to the presidential palace, Joko Widodo surged to the top of Indonesian politics on a wave of hope for change. However, six years into his presidency, the former furniture maker is struggling to deliver the reforms that Indonesia desperately needs. Despite promising to build Indonesia into an Asian powerhouse, Jokowi, as he is known, has faltered in the face of crises, from COVID-19 to an Islamist mass movement. Man of Contradictions, the first English-language biography of Jokowi, argues that the president embodies the fundamental contradictions of modern Indonesia. He is caught between democracy and authoritarianism, openness and protectionism, Islam and pluralism. Jokowi’s incredible story shows what is possible in Indonesia – and it also shows the limits.