Condemned to Crisis?

• Author: Laksmana, Evan A.
• Position: Book review

Condemned to Crisis? By Ken Ward. Sydney: Penguin Books and Lowy Institute for International Policy, 2015. Hardcover: 152pp.

Condemned to Crisis? could not have come at a better time. While Indonesia--Australia bilateral relations have often been subject to ups and downs, the roller coaster ride seems to have grown more erratic in recent years. Indeed, lunging from crisis to crisis has seemingly become "the new normal" in how Jakarta and Canberra deal with one another, even as Australian observers maintain that a warm relationship with Indonesia is invaluable.

Ken Ward, however, provides a sobering and lucidly written assessment of why this is mistaken. His message is clear: Australia needs to be "more realistic" about its bilateral relationship and should not adopt "wildly ambitious goals vis-a-vis Indonesia" (p. 24). Ward claims that describing Australia's relationship with Indonesia as the "most important regional strategic relationship" (p. 47) neither enhances Canberra's negotiating strength nor elicits appreciation from Indonesia. Instead, Ward calls on the Australian political elite to adopt a more measured approach, improve political communication and avoid using Indonesia as a domestic partisan political football.

The book examines how Indonesia's history has shaped its foreign policy, how the Indonesia-Australia relationship has been entangled by the domestic politics of both countries, and the role of political communication and culture. Throughout, Ward provides thought-provoking analyses as he debunks a few prevailing myths in the bilateral relationship. He correctly debunks, for example, a long-held myth that bilateral relations are difficult due to cultural differences (pp. 56-61). He claims that such a view conflates a certain variant of Javanese culture with Indonesian culture as a whole, and that cultural accounts fail to offer a reliable guide on how Indonesian leaders may react in crisis situations with Australia.

Overall, the book is a refreshing and important addition to the ongoing debate over the management of this bilateral relationship. Written for the Australian public in mind, it has rightfully fostered numerous debates in the Australian media and elsewhere. However, rather than rehashing these debates, I will closely examine the book's analyses of Indonesia, which underpin its policy recommendations. Here, unfortunately, it falls short of providing a thorough, balanced and nuanced understanding of Indonesia. At...