The 2018 regional elections saw convincing wins for several young reform-minded local leaders. In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Dirk Tomsa speaks to one of these leaders, Dr Bima Arya Sugiarto, about the challenges of reform in an environment where corruption and patronage is widespread.

How will the newly passed Law on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers improve conditions for the millions of Indonesian citizens working overseas? What more needs to be done? Dr Jemma Purdey chats to Migrant CARE Director Anis Hidayah in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

On 27 June, Indonesia held elections for mayors and governors in 154 districts and 17 provinces. In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Dave McRae and a panel of leading political observers, Dr Charlotte Setijadi, Dr Philips Vermonte and Dr Eve Warburton, discuss the results and the broader implications for Indonesian politics.

What explains the decline in manufacturing in Indonesia? Is the country experiencing a process of premature deindustrialisation? Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these and other questions with Dr Mohammad Zulfan Tadjoeddin in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

Is the military attempting to return to Indonesian political life? How has the military been able to maintain its centrality in Indonesian society over the decades? Dr Charlotte Setijadi explores these issues and more with Dr Jess Melvin in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

20 years after the fall of Soeharto, how is Indonesia facing up to the violence of the New Order era? What is being done to resist enduring impunity in democratic Indonesia? Dr Jemma Purdey discusses these issues and more with Galuh Wandita in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

What have been the key achievements of the reform movement that toppled Soeharto, what are the key obstacles to further reform, and what lies ahead for Indonesia over the next 10 years? Senior human rights activist Usman Hamid reflects on 20 years of reform with Dr Dave McRae in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

Why is blasphemy such a serious offence in Indonesia? What do recent blasphemy cases have in common and where do they differ? Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these issues and more with Dr Melissa Crouch in the latest episode of the Talking Indonesia podcast.

Are we seeing a conservative turn in Indonesian Islam? What new Islamic organisations are emerging, and what challenges do they pose to mainstream organisations such as NU and Muhammadiyah? Dr Charlotte Setijadi explores these questions and more with Dr Ahmad Najib Burhani in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

How is Indonesia balancing its environmental challenges with its economic interests? What are the roles of government, business and civil society? Dr Jemma Purdey explores these issues with Professor Suraya Affif, from the University of Indonesia, in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia. 

What deficits in criminal law is the draft revised criminal code seeking to address and how have controversial regressive articles emerged? What will the implications be for Indonesian democracy if the current draft passes? Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues and more with Anugerah Rizki Akbari in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

What prompts violent Islamist extremists to turn their backs on violence? What can governments and activists learn from patterns of disengagement? Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these issues and more with Associate Professor Julie Chernov Hwang in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.