Title: Presidential succession: parody and precedent in shaping Indonesia's political cultureSubmitted by: Dr Steven Drakeley, Lecturer, International Business and Asian Studies, University of Western Sydney, AustraliaThis paper examines recent developments in the evolution of Indonesia's political culture as revealed in the events surrounding the recent transfers of the presidency from Soeharto to Habibie to Wahid. In particular, it speculates that the behaviour and tactics of some key political actors during these recent power transitions was influenced strongly by their reading of similar key events in Indonesia's post-independence history. Is such conscious (or semi-conscious) appeal to precedents an important and under-considered factor as a shaper of nation's political culture? This might particularly apply where a nation-state, such as Indonesia, is relatively new in historical terms and where therefore a higher degree of plasticity of political culture might be expected. Return to Abstracts menuCarol Burnett Phone: 61 - 3 - 9349 1899 Email: c.burnett@asialink.unimelb.edu.au
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