Young and Restless: Chinese Indonesian Youth Amidst Post-Suharto Identity Politics
Charlotte Setijadi, Sociology and Anthropology, La Trobe University
Much has been written lately about Chinese Indonesians, especially in regard to the dramatic increase of public displays of ‘Chinese’ cultural expressions since the fall of Suharto in 1998. Indeed, for almost a decade now, there have been many significant events and changes - such as the abolishment of many discriminatory policies - that have contributed to the growing confidence among ethnic Chinese to take a much more active involvement in identity politics among other things. Drawing on my recent fieldwork observations conducted mainly in Jakarta, this paper presents an analysis of the identity politics of younger generation Chinese Indonesians who in recent times have received greater attention due to their apparent position as the ‘next generation leaders’ in Chinese Indonesian politics. This paper offers an outline of young Chinese’s participation in mainstream and grassroots politics of recognition, and a discussion on how their experiences in establishing self-identity as Chinese Indonesians reflect the ambivalence that exists in regards to what it means to be ethnic Chinese in today’s Indonesia.
