Posted by heather.a.jones@Vanderbilt.Edu on Monday, January 25, 2016 in Activities Everyone.

Title: Indonesia, the Improbable Nation: Bringing together Language, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity

When: 12 PM

Where: SLC LL 1/2

Description:

Have you heard of Bali? Do you know that it is actually just one of the many islands in the Republic of Indonesia?Indonesia is the third largest democracy in the world, consisting of 17,508 islands, 6 religions, around 300 distinct native ethnic groups, and 742 different languages and dialects. It is home to the largest modern matriarchal society in the world. The country has the largest Muslim population in the world, yet it is not an Islamic country. What holds this improbable nation together and what challenges does it face?

Rany Octaria will present on how Indonesia fosters the incorporation of diversity into the daily lives, education system, and government of the country. This presentation will use the perspective of a native, as well as ideas from the book Indonesia, Etc. by Elizabeth Pisani. The aim of this presentation is to expand the insight of researchers, students, and the public to invigorate research about Indonesia and to simply raise awareness of the what makes Indonesia unique.

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