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World on Wednesdays

Posted by on Monday, February 29, 2016 in Archives, News.

“Indonesia, the Improbable Nation: Bringing  together Language, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity”

Wednesday, Mar. 2nd, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Student Life Center, LL 1 & 2 – Open to the Public

Food and refreshments will be provided

Have you heard of Bali? Do you know that it is actually  just one of the many islands in the Republic of Indonesia?Indonesia is the third largest democracy in the world, consisting of  17,508 islands, 6 religions, around 300 distinct native ethnic groups,  and 742 different languages and dialects. It is home to the largest modern  matriarchal society in the world. The country has the largest Muslim  population in the world, yet it is not an Islamic country.  What holds this improbable nation together and what challenges does it face?

Rany Octaria will present on how Indonesia fosters the incorporation of  diversity into the daily lives, education system, and government of the  country. This presentation will use the perspective of a native, as well as  ideas from the book Indonesia, Etc. by Elizabeth Pisani. The aim of this  presentation is to expand the insight of researchers, students, and the  public to invigorate research about Indonesia and to simply raise awareness  of the what makes Indonesia unique.

Sponsored by: International Student and Scholar Services

Contact: Derrick Stevens, isss@vanderbilt.edu