Indonesia's Maritime Policy from Independence to 2019

Alverdian explores how a distinct national character of maritime governance enables Indonesia to go beyond an archipelagic to a 'maritime' character, focusing on political culture and connecting previous studies on historical changes and geopolitical contexts.
The main theme of this research is the three-pillar framework of the Tanah-Air concept, which includes the political culture of persatuan nasional (national unity), strategic culture of cakra manggilingan (turning of the times from dark to golden periods), and the geopolitical context of posisi silang dunia (world crossroad position). The findings of this publication indicate the dominant influence of Javanese political culture, philosophy, values, and traditions on the distinct character of Indonesia's maritime orientation. Specifically, Javanese political philosophy and traditions within each pillar of Tanah-Air have influenced continuity rather change in the evolution of Indonesia's maritime policy. The book helps readers understand how the defining theme of unity in national political culture has shaped the evolution of Indonesia's maritime policy from 1945 to 2019. It illustrates how the continuous influence of the theme of national unity as devised by the political elites through history has addressed the realities of the archipelago's geography and it is significant from both an academic and practical policy perspective.
A book designed for academics and the general public interested in gaining greater insight and knowledge on Indonesia's maritime policy and maritime nation aspirations.