What does the recent attack on the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) mean for human rights and civil society in Indonesia? What are the challenges facing the government as it heads toward the 2019 election? Is Indonesia’s democracy in peril? Dr Jemma Purdey explores these questions and more with pre-eminent human rights lawyer Professor Todung Mulya Lubis.

“Istirahatlah Kata-Kata” has won praise for its depiction of the life of poet and activist Widji Thukul in exile. In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Jemma Purdey chats to the film’s director, Yosep Angi Noen, about how film can provide new opportunities for dealing with histories that remain obscured.

What does food sovereignty mean in Indonesia? How effective are food sovereignty policies in ensuring all citizens have access to sufficient food, and could the government adopt an alternative approach? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues and more with Dr Jeff Neilson in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

Why do Indonesian universities perform so poorly in global university rankings? What reforms have been attempted and why have they failed? Dr Dirk Tomsa explores these issues and more with Professor Andrew Rosser in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

The Joko Widodo government has expressed a desire to stop sending Indonesian domestic workers abroad. But how has it tried to manage the flow of citizens seeking employment overseas? What effect do bans and moratoriums have on the flow of migrant workers? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues and more with Dr Wayne Palmer in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

What role did the internet play in the divisive Jakarta gubernatorial campaign? To what extent can the bitterness of the campaign be explained by Indonesia’s conservative turn more generally? Dr Jemma Purdey explores these questions and more with Associate Professor Merlyna Lim in the Talking Indonesia podcast.

What is Indonesia’s maritime vision, and how is the country attempting to realise it? What is the significance of Indonesia renaming part of the South China Sea the North Natuna Sea? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues and more with Dr Arif Havas Oegroseno in Talking Indonesia.

What triggered the House of Representatives (DPR) inquiry into the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)? What are the implications for the KPK and its role in the fight against corruption? Dr Jemma Purdey explores these questions and more with Dr Deasy Simandjuntak in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

Can Jakarta’s urban villages (kampung) co-exist with residential, infrastructure, and commercial projects planned for the city? What do the controversies surrounding evictions and Jakarta’s kampung communities reveal about social and economic divides? Dr Charlotte Setijadi discusses these issues and more with Dr Rita Padawangi in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

Why has wildlife trafficking reached such enormous proportions in Indonesia? Who and what are the main drivers of the trade? And what initiatives exist to combat wildlife trafficking and enhance conservation efforts? In Talking Indonesia, Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these issues with Eleanor Paish, a zoologist and filmmaker from the University of West England, and Adam Miller, executive director and founder of Planet Indonesia.

How has digital media created spaces for a diversity of views on issues important to Indonesian women, including sexuality and religion? What does an Indonesian ‘feminist’ publication look like? In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Jemma Purdey explores these issues and more with Devi Asmarani, chief editor of online magazine Magdalene.

What has spurred the government to attempt to ban Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), what would be the likely impact of such a ban, and what are the challenges for the government in regulating extremist speech and ideology? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues with Sidney Jones, in the latest episode of the Talking Indonesia podcast.