Open Forum: Understanding Jokowi: A Conversation with Jean Couteau
Open Forum
Understanding Jokowi:
A Conversation with Jean Couteau
Thursday, June 25th
9:00 a.m. EDT
8:00 p.m. WIB
Online via Zoom
Jean Couteau
Historian, Linguist, and Author on
Indonesian Society and Culture
Moderated By:
Christopher Wyrod, USINDO Vice President
Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, dominated Indonesian political life for over two decades. Rising from mayor of his native Solo to governor of Jakarta and finally as the nation's president for two terms, Jokowi led Indonesia through times of significant social and economic change. His humble roots as a small businessman set him apart from traditional political elites and generated a swell of popular support from the wong cilik, or common people.
But his presidency drew both praise and criticism with a leadership style that was notoriously enigmatic and unpredictable. Jokowi strengthened economic development, infrastructure, and public services, but weakened anti-corruption efforts, environmental protection, and civil liberties. His final years in office were overshadowed by accusations of political interference and dynastic politics. Jokowi's populist leadership delivered unprecedented economic gains but also eroded Indonesia's democracy. This mixed legacy has made Jokowi’s political philosophy seem inscrutable.
This Open Forum will help us better understand the motivations, results, and legacy of Jokowi’s leadership. We will discuss with Jean Couteau, author of the new book Understanding Jokowi: Progressive Realism in Indonesian Politics. Mr. Couteau will provide first-hand insights into Jokowi’s leadership and how he balanced seemingly contradictory political positions. We will analyze how Jokowi’s leadership style evolved over his time in office and evaluate challenges and successes under his administration. Specifically, Mr. Couteau will discuss the structural constraints Jokowi faced to implement his results-driven policies, which pit him against entrenched vested interests. We will also discuss Jokowi’s continued influence on Indonesia’s political system and the longer-term legacy of his policies.
Following the discussion, we will take questions from the online audience.
The forum will be moderated by USINDO’s Vice President, Christopher Wyrod.
Please join us for this timely and informative USINDO Open Forum discussion.
Full Biography of Speaker:
Jean Couteau is a French historian and linguist who has lived in Indonesia since 1975. He has been a columnist for Kompas and a frequent contributor to Tempo and The Jakarta Post. He has authored over two dozen books on Indonesia. Mr. Couteau also serves as editor-in-chief of the contemporary art magazine C-Arts and has been a guest editor for Timeless Yogyakarta. He holds a PhD in History from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris and has lectured at Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar. Mr. Couteau is a long-time resident of Bali.
The event will be held online via Zoom.
To register, please click here.
If you face any technical difficulties with the link above, you can also register by sending an email to [email protected].
The United States-Indonesia Society's mission is strengthening mutual understanding between the United States and Indonesia, enhancing the bilateral relationship, and deepening the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We implement our mission through public discussions in each country and long-term bi-national programs in the education, legislative, and other sectors.
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