Journal articles on the topic 'Theatrical companies Political aspects Indonesia'

Outside its ‘classic’ forms, little is known in the West about the theatre of Indonesia. The colonial ‘heritage’ proved largely sterile, and the more fruitful recent developments of the past few decades have been dominated by attempts to integrate the indigenous tradition with contemporary problems and needs. Eugène van Erven has spent several years exploring new theatrical movements and activities in the Pacific region, and earlier results of his studies appeared in NTQ 10 (1987), on the People's Theatre Network of the Philippines. Here, he introduces the work of the two leading theatre-of-liberation companies in Indonesia, Teater Arena and Teater Dinasti, and analyzes their contrasting approaches to the integration of ‘theatre-of-liberation’ techniques with distinctively Indonesian social, religious, and theatrical traditions. Eugène van Erven also contributed a study of recent political theatre in Spain to NTQ 13 (1988), and has recently taken up a post lecturing in English at the University of Utrecht.

This article argues for the inclusion of contemporary Québécois translations of twentieth-century Irish plays as part of the Irish theatrical diaspora. The presence of an Irish diaspora in North America was mainly the result of massive waves of immigration, in large part due to the Great Famine, peaking during the mid-nineteenth century before gradually abating. This diaspora in Quebec has resisted full linguistic assimilation, yet was also integrated into many aspects of its culture, a fact that was facilitated by similar political, religious, and even linguistic parallels and elements. Interest in Irish culture, especially in its theatrical output, remains high, with many theatre companies in the province commissioning seasons based on Celtic Tiger-era dramas, translated by Québécois playwrights who also happen to be translators. In tracing and analysing the reason for this interest, despite diminished recent immigration, this article provides the basis for continued research into the performative force of proactive translations across varying diasporic traditions.

Nowadays, companies are not only required to provide information on financial accountability but also about corporate performance related to environmental and social activities to promote shareholder values and sustainable practices. In Indonesia, corporate social and environmental responsibility is an emerging and relatively new concept in terms of practices, economic and political aspects. This paper aims to investigate the performance of the social and environmental responsibility of three limited liability state-owned companies in Indonesia and covering the company’s reports, namely annual report, CSR report, and sustainability report. The study concluded that there is a significant relation between CSR activities, social and environmental protection on Indonesian limited liability state-owned companies, both in relation to legal obligation, as well as relating to company’s commitment to show environmentally good behaviour through CSR activities.

This study explores the key determinants of Supply Chain 4.0 (SC4.0) maturity in the context of a developing country by examining the relationships between supply chain ambidexterity, supply chain agility, and the maturity of SC4.0. The study was carried out using the survey method involving 154 managers from Indonesian manufacturing companies. The SC4.0 maturity model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling. From our analysis, it was found that supply chain ambidexterity emphasizing on innovation positively influences the companies’ agility and SC4.0 maturity levels, and supply chain agility partially mediates supply chain ambidexterity. This paper contributes to the operationalization of SC4.0 maturity determinants that incorporate innovation and technological aspects and extends the extant literature by empirically elaborating the determinants and antecedents of SC4.0 maturity that may expedite the achievement of SC4.0 maturity. This implies that companies and supply chain professionals aiming at achieving their SC4.0 maturity should do so by being outward-looking and, at the same time, foster supply chain collaboration with external networks. This paper is pioneering the empirical study on SC4.0 and offers a means to achieving SC4.0 maturity through SC ambidexterity and SC agility, particularly in the context of a developing country.

The issue of the nationalization of Dutch companies (railroad), which strengthened in the early 1950s, had caused some concern among Dutch companies. The issue was rolled by leftists who were disappointed with some of the results of the Round Table Conference (RTC) in December 1949. There was a phenomenon of xenophobia among natives of something that smelled of foreign (Western) so that the government policies that emerged were rooted in this matter, starting from the Benteng program and the nationalization of the company foreign. This paper aims to parse the anti-foreign phenomenon before nationalization by emphasizing the socio-cultural aspects. If the political process is carried out by the state political elite, then the social process is carried out by other elements of society such as trade unions in the form of boycotts, strikes and demonstrations. While cultural action is carried out by elements of society such as artists and humanists who carry out a variety of artistic actions such as murals, propaganda graffiti, advertisements in the mass media or images that burn the spirit of warriors on the walls in the city area. Particularly among railways, various socio-cultural activities were carried out by the Djawatan Kereta Api (DKA) in the 1950s. This research uses historical research methods based on primary sources traced from archival institutions and libraries. Research results show that the phenomenon of xenophobia that occurred in the decade of the 50s is part of the national socio-political criticism expressed through various forms of social culture.

The Dutch company nationalization policy in 1958 had a broad impact in various fields related to the economic, political, and socio-cultural aspects. Due to the presence of anti-foreign phenomena as the efforts to escape from the grip of the West, it increasingly supported the public responses in no time. Various social and cultural actions happened in many places, just like a nationalization process continuation. Thousands of Dutch people were expelled from the Republic of Indonesia, accompanied by various demonstrations performed by workers and artists, making the atmosphere tense. The Dutch government got angry and felt offended by the actions committed by the citizens. What forms of socio-cultural actions took place after the nationalization of Dutch companies in 1958? This study aimed to obtain in-depth pictures of various forms of socio-cultural actions performed by wider communities (especially workers and cultural actors) in the context of nationalization in Indonesia. This study used a library method by tracing primary and secondary data sources and analyzing them after testing the validity. The research results show that the format of socio-cultural actions tended to be in mass mobilization and debates in parliaments and mass media.

The economic crisis in Indonesia prolonged since 1997 has boosted the nation in the position of multi-dimensional crisis in almost all aspects of life. The increasing number of victims of layoffs, high unemployment, declining per capita income and purchasing power and ultimately it leads to the increase number of society that is below the poverty line. The Government efforts to convince the international investor should be focused on the social and political stability, and security that may assure investors. The economic crisis and social crisis in Indonesia are still into two sides that cannot be separated, and the effect on the business world is very significant, so that companies that want to run business operations in Indonesia cannot escape from social problems faced by this nation. Social problems for companies is not the main target, because many other factors such as investment, financing, production, marketing directly related to the normal activity of a company, but a consequence of the interaction between the company and the environment which is undergoing a social crisis becomes unavoidable. Social Accounting is still the pros and cons in the accounting world Indonesia, until now given the presence of pros and cons about the extent to which the company should be accountable to their social environment. The practice of social disclosure firms in Indonesia is still very low because the company allegedly oriented to the Shareholder and debt holders only. The role and application of social accounting need to be developed in Indonesia in order to encourage the creation of corporate social responsibility that are expected to minimize the social problems faced by business entities in Indonesia, so that the healthy investment climate and enduring economic stability.

This study attempts to reveal cultural diplomacy, which Turkey implements towards Indonesia. The ‘golden period’ of Turkey is from 2007 until 2013. After that, the public diplomacy of Turkey was not effective as before, and it was fallen dramatically. The country’s instability caused by the political turmoil within the country also influences the growth of international isolation. With these based on the problem that influences its image, Turkey needs to prove a different and better image to promote itself abroad. Public perceptions can be shaped and controlled by doing cultural diplomacy that acts as soft power. Having one thing in common as a country with a Muslim population as the majority, Turkey has a special place in the hearts of the Indonesian people. Based on the theory of cultural diplomacy by Milton C. Cummings, the authors drew two arguments. First, Turkey’s Cultural diplomacy towards Indonesia is done not only by state actors (officially by the government) but also by non-state actors such as individuals and companies. Second, cultural diplomacy carried out by Turkey towards Indonesia is through all aspects of the needs of the Indonesian people, such as films, fashion, news, music, food, and education.

<p>In 2014, Indonesia introduced a more progressive law to ease foreign investment in plantations. This policy seems to resuscitate the legacy of the plantation during colonial times as a source of state revenue. This law however has not signified the increases in plantation companies. One of the major causes has been an inadequate quality of contracts such as lack of transparency, participation, and coherence. In practice, the plantation contract still utilizes the outdated uniform contract based on the 18^th century Civil Code adopted from the Dutch Civil Code. These have challenged certainty and enforceability. In line with the liberation of plantations in developing nations, the International Institute for Unification of Private law (UNIDORIT) is drafting the universal guideline for a responsible agricultural land investment contract. The guideline aims at providing the model of a responsible agricultural land investment contract. The model contract considers a broad range of social, political, economic, and cultural aspects to ensure that stakeholders' interests are respected while it also needs to adhere to global issues, such as food security, poverty elevation, and environmental preservation. The article is part of a study attempting to explore the deficiencies of the existing plantation contract and to seek the potential adoption of the UNIDROIT guideline in Indonesia. There are multi-facet challenges to adopt the UNIDROIT guideline as the stakeholders and legal counsel capacity are still limited. Those result in complexity during the agricultural land dispute settlement process in which non-legal factors contribute to its success. This article explores to map the potential issues and to propose a model of more effective agricultural land dispute settlement.</p>

COVID-19 affects all aspects of life, including work patterns, work behavior, and daily routines. It has also prompted organizations to change how they operate, working more from outside the office due to government restrictions. Therefore, many activity restrictions were introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, office activities must continue. This creates a new need for the availability of satellite offices as a solution for companies and employees in carrying out organizational activities. This paper analyzes factors that influence the selection of satellite offices during the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal. Quantitative research was used in this study; the data were analyzed using descriptive analysis methods and cross-tabulation analysis. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires to 65 users of the satellite offices in Jakarta. The results show that the majority of users choose a satellite office by considering the proximity to their place of residence, and room comfort, which is then followed by the availability and stability of internet access. In general, satellite office users also consider the price and choose the daily billing system over other billing systems. Thus, workspace providers in the satellite office can formulate the right strategy to attract satellite office users by choosing a proper location, fulfilling room comfort facilities, price positioning, and the billing system used.

Saat ini perempuan yang menjadi pemimpin sudah semakin meningkat di hampir semua aspek kehidupan. Negara Indonesia pernah dipimpin oleh presiden perempuan dan saat ini kaum perempuan juga ada yang menjabat sebagai walikota, bupati, camat dan kepala desa di beberapa daerah. Mereka juga mengisi kursi-kursi di badan legislatif dan menjabat sebagai pimpinan di lembaga-lembaga pemerintah dan perusahaan-perusahaan. Memang harus diakui bahwa jumlah mereka belum sebanyak laki-laki dan ini tentunya menjadi tantangan ke depan. Tantangan yang terbesar selalu berasal dari agama dan budaya. Agama dan budaya yang patriarkhi ini juga didukung dengan konsep politik yang patriarki, feodalistis & berwarna maskulin, di mana kekuasaan politik ada pada laki-laki, yang akan mengambil keputusan baik di dalam rumah maupun di luar rumah. Kondisi perempuan dalam kepemimpinan gereja nampak tidak jauh berbeda dengan kepemimpinan dalam bidang politik dan masyarakat. Kendati mayoritas warga jemaat di gereja adalah perempuan, namun mereka lebih banyak bertindak sebagai pelaksana keputusan dan kurang terlibat dalam pembuatan keputusan. Sehubungan dengan hal itu, maka paper ini akan mengulas tentang kepemimpinan perempuan Kristen di Indonesia dengan melihat tantangan dan peluang yang ada baik dari ajaran gereja, budaya, dan perempuan sendiri. Selain itu, akan dipaparkan juga tentang gaya kepemimpinan perempuan untuk menjawab tantangan Indonesia saat ini. Tulisan ini akan dibahas dengan menggunakan teori gender dengan pendekatan teologi feminis. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode penelitian literatur.[Nowadays the number of women who become leaders have increased in almost every aspects of life. Indonesia was once led by a female president and a lot of women serves as mayors, regents, sub-district heads and village heads in several areas. Though not as many as the men, women also get position in the legislature and serve as leaders in government institutions and companies. However, among religious institution, especially in the church, getting the highest position is kind of challenging for women. Supported by the concept of a patriarchal, feudalistic & masculine political concept, where political power is on men, women are difficult to get position as the leaders of the Churches. Although majority of church members are women, they are less involved in decision making. In this regard, this paper will review the leadership of Christian women in Indonesia by looking at the challenges and opportunities that exist both from the teachings of the church, culture, and women themselves. This paper will be discussed by using gender theory with a feminist theology approach and the literature review as the method.]

Introduction/Main Objectives: This research aims to empirically show the positive influence of the board of directors' characteristics on company performance, proxied by female directors, political connections, economic and/or business educational backgrounds, and education levels. Background Problems: Essential characteristics are required to produce quality strategies because they directly affect the performance of SOEs, and Regulation PER-8/MBU/08/2020 of the Minister of SOEs restruc­tures the BOD to increase the proportion of women. Novelty: This research measures SOEs' performance from their financial, adminis­trative, and operational aspects. It comprehensively assesses the dual function of SOEs as public servants and producers of state profits. Research Methods: A total of 245 Indonesian state-owned enterprises were examined between 2014 and 2019 using panel regression with the random effect model. The companies’ performance data were obtained from the Information Management and Documentation Officer (PPID) of the Ministry of SOEs of the Republic of Indonesia (RI). Finding/ Results: The results show that female directors and political connections positively influence the performance of SOEs. According to the robust­ness test, directors with economic and/or business education backgrounds positively influence the financial performance, and the higher the education level is, this negatively influences the performance of SOEs. Conclusion: Essentially, this research supports the plan of the Minister of SOEs to increase the proportion of women on the boards of directors. The findings also prove that political connections strengthen the personal qualities of SOE directors, whether they are female or not.

The prevalence of people with mental disorders in Indonesia continues to increase and its growth has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase of the prevalence is also extrapolated to the market for psychiatric drugs in Indonesia which has grown by ten percent from 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020. In the psychiatric market, 12 companies with the highest sales already account for 80% market share. Seeing the psychiatric drug market condition that continues to grow and its market share is still small, the low-market-share pharmaceutical companies must have a new business strategy to seize this opportunity and become one of the market leaders in the psychiatric drug market in Indonesia. This research was conducted to determine the main external and internal factors that affect psychiatric drug business and then provide alternative business strategies for pharmaceutical companies to become one of the market leaders in the psychiatric market. In this study, interviews were conducted with 18 experts in the pharmaceutical field. Data from interviews were analyzed using content analysis. Pharmaceutical market data from IQVIA was used in this study and analyzed using the growth-share matrix. The results of the content analysis show that the main external factors affecting the psychiatry business are categorized into legal, political, economic, market, technological and social aspects. Meanwhile, the key internal factors are categorized into brand, corporate culture, human assets and intellectual capital, organizational resources, originality, physical resources and relationships. Low-market-share companies in the growing market need to carry out an intensive strategy to increase its market share through product development, market penetration and market development.

<p>There are many factors affecting export performances, such as: government policy, logistics system, product policy all of which greatly affect export performances. Globalization could also cause relations between countries closer due to the interaction in political, defense, and economic cooperation. One form of cooperation is the ASEAN economic communities; this will make competition between ASEAN countries more stringent. That is why Indonesia needs to prepare in all respects including aspects of export-import performances.This research was analyzed using three variables they are government policy, logistic system and product quality as independent variable influencing dependent variable that is export performance. In this research the object taken is manufacturing companies that actively carry out export activities at Tanjung Emas Port of Semarang. Data sources include primary and secondary data. The sample in this study is 124 manufacturing companies that actively carry out export activities at the Tanjung Emas Port of Semarang. Data analysis technique is multiple linear regression technique. The result of multiple linear regression equation showed that there were a positive influence partially between government policy toward export performance meaning that independent variable influences simultaneously to dependent variable, government policy variable, logistic system and product quality influences by 44,2% toward export performance and 55,8% influenced by undetectable research variables.</p><p><strong>Keywords : Export Performance, Government Policy, Logistics System, Product Quality</strong></p><p>Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi kinerja ekspor, seperti : kebijakan pemerintah, sistem logistik, kebijakan produk yang kesemuanya itu sangat mempengaruhi kinerja ekspor. Pada penelitian ini akan dinanalisis tiga variabel penelitian yaitu kebijjakan pemerintah, sistem logistik dan kualitas produk sebagai independen variabel yang mempengaruhi dependen variabel yaitu kinerja ekspor. Pada penelitian ini obyek independen adalah perusahan Manufakturing yang aktif melaksanakan kegiatan ekspor di Pelabuhan Tanjung Emas Semarang. Sumber data primer dan. Sampel pada penelitian ini adalah 124 responden yang merupakan perusahan Manufakturing yang aktif melaksanakan kegiatan ekspor di Pelabuhan Tanjung Emas Semarang. Teknik analisis datanya adalah teknik regresi linier berganda. Hasil persamaan regresi linier berganda menunjukkan bahwa ada pengaruh yang positif antara variabel independen terhadap variabel dependen, yaitu variabel kebijakan pemerintah, sistem logistik dan kualitas produk berpengaruh 44,2% terhadap kinerja ekspor dan 55,8% secara simultan dipengaruhi oleh variabel penelitian yang tidak terdeteksi pada penelitian ini.</p><p><strong>Kata kunci : Kinerja Ekspor, Kebijakan Pemerintah, Sistem Logistik, Kualitas Produk</strong></p>

Abstract Bankruptcy is a decision made by a court after examining the assets and liabilities of individuals even businesses in which they are not able to pay their bills. Due to the importance of prevent bankruptcy to be happened in such business, a calculation which can predict probability bankruptcy is necessary. This paper aims to investigate probability bankruptcy using Support Vector Regression. There are 6 variables for 2016 to 2018 period coming from 17 coal mining companies from Indonesia. The model built by using Support Vector Regression indicates a good performance because it has the highest coefficient of determination compared to previous research. JEL classification numbers: C23, C33, C63, E37, G17, G33, L72. Keywords: Probability Bankruptcy, Coal Mining, Support Vector Regression, Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Error, Coefficient of Determination, Financial Ratio.

Introduction As the country with the fifth largest population in the world, Indonesia is a massive potential market for mobile technology adoption and development. Despite an annual per capita income of only $1,280 USD (World Bank), there are 63 million mobile phone users in Indonesia (Suhartono, sec. 1.7) and it is predicted to reach 80 million in 2007 (Jakarta Post 1). Mobile phones are not only a symbol of Indonesian modernity (Barendregt 5), but like other communication technology can become a platform through which to explore socio-political issues (Winner 28). In this article we explore the role mobile phone technology in contemporary forms of social, intimate, and sexual relationships in Indonesia. We argue that new forms of expression and relations are facilitated by the particular features of mobile technology. We discuss two cases from contemporary Indonesia: a mobile dating service (BEDD) and mobile phone pornography. For each case study, we first discuss the socio-political background in Indonesia, then describe the technological affordances of the mobile phone which facilitate dating and pornography, and finally give examples of how the mobile phone is effecting change in dating and pornographic practices. This study is placed at a time when social relations, intimacy, and sexuality in Indonesia have become central public issues. Since the end of the New Order whilst many people have embraced the new freedoms of reformasi and democratization, there is also a high degree of social anxiety, tension and uncertainty (Juliastuti 139-40). These social changes and desires have played out in the formations of new and exciting modes of creativity, solidarity, and sociality (Heryanto and Hadiz 262) and equally violence, terror and criminality (Heryanto and Hadiz 256). The diverse and plural nature of Indonesian society is alive with a myriad of people and activities, and it is into this diverse social body that the mobile phone has become a central and prominent feature of interaction. The focus of our study is dating and pornography as mediated by the mobile phone; however, we do not suggest that these are new experiences in Indonesia. Rather over the last decade social, intimate, and sexual relationships have all been undergoing change and their motivations can be traced to a variety of sources including the factors of globalization, democratization and modernization. Throughout Asia “new media have become a crucial site for constituting new Asian sexual identities and communities” (Berry, Martin, and Yue 13) as people are connecting through new communication technologies. In this article we suggest that mobile phone technology opens new possibilities and introduces new channels, dynamics, and intensities of social interaction. Mobile phones are particularly powerful communication tools because of their mobility, accessibility, and convergence (Ling 16-19; Ito 14-15; Katz and Aakhus 303). These characteristics of mobile phones do not in and of themselves bring about any particular changes in dating and pornography, but they may facilitate changes already underway (Barendegt 7-9; Barker 9). Mobile Dating Background The majority of Indonesians in the 1960s and 1970s had arranged marriages (Smith-Hefner 443). Education reform during the 70s and 80s encouraged more women to attain an education which in turn led to the delaying of marriage and the changing of courtship practices (Smith-Hefner 450). “Compared to previous generations, [younger Indonesians] are freer to mix with the opposite sex and to choose their own marriage,” (Utomo 225). Modern courtship in Java is characterized by “self-initiated romance” and dating (Smith-Hefner 451). Mobile technology is beginning to play a role in initiating romance between young Indonesians. Technology One mobile matching or dating service available in Indonesia is called BEDD (www.bedd.com). BEDD is a free software for mobile phones in which users fill out a profile about themselves and can meet BEDD members who are within 20-30 feet using a Bluetooth connection on their mobile devices. BEDD members’ phones automatically exchange profile information so that users can easily meet new people who match their profile requests. BEDD calls itself mobile social networking community; “BEDD is a new Bluetooth enabled mobile social medium that allows people to meet, interact and communicate in a new way by letting their mobile phones do all the work as they go throughout their day.” As part of a larger project on mobile social networking (Humphreys 6), a field study was conducted of BEDD users in Jakarta, Indonesia and Singapore (where BEDD is based) in early 2006. In-depth interviews and open-ended user surveys were conducted with users, BEDD’s CEO and strategic partners in order to understand the social uses and effects BEDD. The majority of BEDD members (which topped 100,000 in January 2006) are in Indonesia thanks to a partnership with Nokia where BEDD came pre-installed on several phone models. In management interviews, both BEDD and Nokia explained that they partnered because both companies want to help “build community”. They felt that Bluetooth technology such as BEDD could be used to help youth meet new people and keep in touch with old friends. Examples One of BEDD’s functions is to help lower barriers to social interaction in public spaces. By sharing profile information and allowing for free text messaging, BEDD can facilitate conversations between BEDD members. According to users, mediating the initial conversation also helps to alleviate social anxiety, which often accompanies meeting new people. While social mingling and hanging out between Jakarta teenagers is a relatively common practice, one user said that BEDD provides a new and fun way to meet and flirt. In a society that must balance between an “idealized morality” and an increasingly sexualized popular culture (Utomo 226), BEDD provides a modern mode of self-initiated matchmaking. While BEDD was originally intended to aid in the matchmaking process of dating, it has been appropriated into everyday life in Indonesia because of its interpretive flexibility (Pinch & Bjiker 27). Though BEDD is certainly used to meet “beautiful girls” (according to one Indonesian male user), it is also commonly used to text message old friends. One member said he uses BEDD to text his friends in class when the lecture gets boring. BEDD appears to be a helpful modern communication tool when people are physically proximate but cannot easily talk to one another. BEDD can become a covert way to exchange messages with people nearby for free. Another potential explanation for BEDD’s increasing popularity is its ability to allow users to have private conversations in public space. Bennett notes that courtship in private spaces is seen as dangerous because it may lead to sexual impropriety (154). Dating and courtship in public spaces are seen as safer, particularly for conserving the reputation young Indonesian women. Therefore Bluetooth connections via mobile technologies can be a tool to make private social connections between young men and women “safer”. Bluetooth communication via mobile phones has also become prevalent in more conservative Muslim societies (Sullivan, par. 7; Braude, par. 3). There are, however, safety concerns about meeting strangers in public spaces. When asked, “What advice would you give a first time BEDD user?” one respondent answered, “harus bisa mnilai seseorang krn itu sangat penting, kita mnilai seseorang bukan cuma dari luarnya” (translated: be careful in evaluating (new) people, and don’t ever judge the book by its cover”). Nevertheless, only one person participating in this study mentioned this concern. To some degree meeting someone in a public may be safer than meeting someone in an online environment. Not only are there other people around in public spaces to physically observe, but co-location means there may be some accountability for how BEDD members present themselves. The development and adoption of matchmaking services such as BEDD suggests that the role of the mobile phone in Indonesia is not just to communicate with friends and family but to act as a modern social networking tool as well. For young Indonesians BEDD can facilitate the transfer of social information so as to encourage the development of new social ties. That said, there is still debate about exactly whom BEDD is connecting and for what purposes. On one hand, BEDD could help build community in Indonesia. One the other hand, because of its privacy it could become a tool for more promiscuous activities (Bennett 154-5). There are user profiles to suggest that people are using BEDD for both purposes. For example, note what four young women in Jakarta wrote in the BEDD profiles: Personal Description Looking For I am a good prayer, recite the holy book, love saving (money), love cycling… and a bit narcist. Meaning of life Ordinary gurl, good student, single, Owen lover, and the rest is up to you to judge. Phrenz ?! Peace?! Wondeful life! I am talkative, have no patience but so sweet. I am so girly, narcist, shy and love cute guys. Check my fs (Friendster) account if you’re so curious. Well, I am just an ordinary girl tho. Anybody who wants to know me. A boy friend would be welcomed. Play Station addict—can’t live without it! I am a rebel, love rock, love hiphop, naughty, if you want proof dial 081********* phrenz n cute guyz As these profiles suggest, the technology can be used to send different kinds of messages. The mobile phone and the BEDD software merely facilitate the process of social exchange, but what Indonesians use it for is up to them. Thus BEDD and the mobile phone become tools through which Indonesians can explore their identities. BEDD can be used in a variety of social and communicative contexts to allow users to explore their modern, social freedoms. Mobile Pornography Background Mobile phone pornography builds on a long tradition of pornography and sexually explicit material in Indonesia through the use of a new technology for an old art and product. Indonesia has a rich sexual history with a documented and prevalent sex industry (Suryakusuma 115). Lesmana suggests that the country has a tenuous pornographic industry prone to censorship and nationalist politics intent on its destruction. Since the end of the New Order and opening of press freedoms there has been a proliferation in published material including a mushrooming of tabloids, men’s magazines such as FHM, Maxim and Playboy, which are often regarded as pornographic. This is attributed to the decline of the power of the bureaucracy and government and the new role of capital in the formation of culture (Chua 16). There is a parallel pornography industry, however, that is more amateur, local, and homemade (Barker 6). It is into this range of material that mobile phone pornography falls. Amongst the myriad forms of pornography and sexually explicit material available in Indonesia, the mobile phone in recent years has emerged as a new platform for production, distribution, and consumption. This section will not deal with the ethics of representation nor engage with the debate about definitions and the rights and wrongs of pornography. Instead what will be shown is how the mobile phone can be and has been used as an instrument/medium for the production and consumption of pornography within contemporary social relationships. Technology There are several technological features of the mobile phone that make pornography possible. As has already been noted the mobile phone has had a large adoption rate in Indonesia, and increasingly these phones come equipped with cameras and the ability to send data via MMS and Bluetooth. Coupled with the mobility of the phone, the convergence of technology in the mobile phone makes it possible for pornography to be produced and consumed in a different way than what has been possible before. It is only recently that the mobile phone has been marketed as a video camera with the release of the Nokia N90; however, quality and recording time are severely limited. Still, the mobile phone is a convenient and at-hand tool for the production and consumption of individually made, local, and non-professional pieces of porn, sex and sexuality. It is impossible to know how many such films are in circulation. A number of websites that offer these films for downloads host between 50 and 100 clips in .3gp file format, with probably more in actual circulation. At the very least, this is a tenfold increase in number compared to the recent emergence of non-professional VCD films (Barker 3). This must in part be attributed to the advantages that the mobile phone has over standard video cameras including cost, mobility, convergence, and the absence of intervening data processing and disc production. Examples There are various examples of mobile pornography in Indonesia. These range from the pornographic text message sent between lovers to the mobile phone video of explicit sexual acts (Barendregt 14-5). The mobile phone affords privacy for the production and exchange of pornographic messages and media. Because mobile devices are individually owned, however, pornographic material found on mobile phones can be directly tied to the individual owners. For example, police in Kotabaru inspected the phones of high school students in search of pornographic materials and arrested those individuals on whose phones it was found (Barendregt 18). Mobile phone pornography became a national political issue in 2006 when an explicit one-minute clip of a singer and an Indonesian politician became public. Videoed in 2004, the clip shows Maria Eva, a 27 year-old dangdut singer (see Browne, 25-6) and Yahya Zaini, a married 42 year-old who was head of religious affairs for the Golkar political party. Their three-year affair ended in 2005, but the film did not become public until 2006. It spread like wildfire between phones and across the internet, however, and put an otherwise secret relationship into the limelight. These types of affairs and relationships were common knowledge to people through gossip, exposes such as Jakarta Undercover (Emka 93-108) and stories in tabloids; yet this culture of adultery and prostitution continued and remained anonymous because of bureaucratic control of evidence and information (Suryakusuma 115). In this case, however, the filming of Maria Eva once public proves the identities of those involved and their infidelity. As a result of the scandal it was further revealed that Maria Eva had been forced by Yayha Zaini and his wife to have an abortion, deepening the moral crisis. Yahya Zaini later resigned as his party’s head of Religious Affairs (Asmarani, sec. 1-2), due to what was called the country’s “first real sex scandal” (Naughton, par. 2). As these examples show, there are definite risks and consequences involved in the production of mobile pornography. Even messages/media that are meant to be shared between two consenting individuals can eventually make their way into the public mobile realm and have serious consequences for those involved. Mobile video and photography does, however, represent a potential new check on the Indonesian bureaucratic elite which has not been previously available by other means such as a watchdog media. “The role of the press as a control mechanism is practically nonexistent [in Jakarta], which in effect protects corruption, nepotism, financial manipulation, social injustice, and repression, as well as the murky sexual life of the bureaucratic power elite,” (Suryakusuma 117). Thus while originally a mobile video may have been created for personal pleasure, through its mass dissemination via new media it can become a means of sousveillance (Mann, Nolan and Wellman 332-3) whereby the control of surveillance is flipped to reveal the often hidden abuses of power by officials. Whilst the debates over pornography in Indonesia tend to focus on the moral aspects of it, the broader social impacts of technology on relationships are often ignored. Issues related to power relations or even media as cultural expression are often disregarded as moral judgments cast a heavy shadow over discussions of locally produced Indonesian mobile pornography. It is possible to move beyond the moral critique of pornographic media to explore the social significance of its proliferation as a cultural product. Conclusion In these two case studies we have tried to show how the mobile phone in Indonesia has become a mode of interaction but also a platform through which to explore other current issues and debates related to dating, sexuality and media. Since 1998 and the fall of the New Order, Indonesia has been struggling with blending old and new, a desire of change and nostalgia for past, and popular desire for a “New Indonesia” (Heryanto, sec. Post-1998). Cultural products within Indonesia have played an important role in exploring these issues. The mobile phone in Indonesia is not just a technology, but also a product in and through which these desires are played out. Changes in dating and pornography practices have been occurring in Indonesia for some time. As people use mobile technology to produce, communicate, and consume, the device becomes intricately related to identity struggle and cultural production within Indonesia. It is important to keep in mind, however, that while mobile technology adoption within Indonesia is growing, it is still limited to a particular subset of the population. As has been previously observed (Barendregt 3), it is wealthier, young people in urban areas who are most intensely involved in mobile technology. As handset prices decrease and availability in rural areas increases, however, no longer will mobile technology be so demographically confined in Indonesia. The convergent technology of the mobile phone opens many possibilities for creative adoption and usage. As a communication device it allows for the creation, sharing, and viewing of messages. Therefore, the technology itself facilitates social connections and networking. As demonstrated in the cases of dating and pornography, the mobile phone is both a tool for meeting new people and disseminating sexual messages/media because it is a networked technology. The mobile phone is not fundamentally changing dating and pornography practices, but it is accelerating social and cultural trends already underway in Indonesia by facilitating the exchange and dissemination of messages and media. As these case studies show, what kinds of messages Indonesians choose to create and share are up to them. The same device can be used for relatively innocuous behavior as well as more controversial behavior. With increased adoption in Indonesia, the mobile will continue to be a lens through which to further explore modern socio-political issues. 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"Modernity and the Mobile Phone: Exploring Tensions about Dating and Sex in Indonesia." M/C Journal 10.1 (2007). echo date('d M. Y'); ?> <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0703/06-humphreys-barker.php>. APA Style Humphreys, L., and T. Barker. (Mar. 2007) "Modernity and the Mobile Phone: Exploring Tensions about Dating and Sex in Indonesia," M/C Journal, 10(1). Retrieved echo date('d M. Y'); ?> from <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0703/06-humphreys-barker.php>.