ATS2161 - Indonesia now: Culture, conflict and crisis management in the Asian century - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit




Organisational Unit

Indonesian Studies


Dr Howard Manns

Not offered in 2017


This unit outlines how the 'Indonesian perspective' influences the archipelago's relationship with regional and global entities, especially the Australian government, NGOs and businesses. The unit shows how an understanding of the Indonesian perspective may lead to positive outcomes in times of crises. The unit culminates in a final project, through which students manage a 'mock' Australian-Indonesian crisis, thusly demonstrating the critical value of cultural literacy in the Asian Century.

This unit is broken into three phases. The first phase introduces the 'Indonesian perspective', with a focus on the archipelago's history, religions and cultures. The second phases familiarizes students with how cultural distance impacts Indonesia's relationship and communication with other regional and global powers. The third and final phase entails a focus on crisis management in the Asian Century. Students firstly encounter case studies of flashpoints and crises in the Australian-Indonesian relationship. Students are then called upon to manage a mock crisis, with the goal of providing a positive outcome through the practical application of cultural literacy.

The unit is Indonesian-focused but will be relevant to students more generally concerned with Australia's role in the Asian Century, and how this role influences diplomacy, business and journalism among other fields.


After successfully completing the unit, students should be able to:

  1. identify key features of Indonesian history, culture and religion;
  2. explain how these features impact Indonesia's relationship with regional and global entities;
  3. describe and assess how specific aspects of cultural distance (e.g. power, directness) influence Indonesia's long- and short-term relations with regional and global entities;
  4. identify, describe and analyse intercultural (mis)communication in specific case studies of Australia-Indonesian crises;
  5. demonstrate and critique how cultural literacy may be applied to provide positive outcomes to real-world crises.


Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements


See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study


Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.


ATS2621, ATS3621