Man of Contradictions Joko Widodo and the struggle to remake Indonesia

Although he has dominated Indonesian politics for years, President Joko Widodo remains a beguiling figure. He has consistently defied both his sternest critics and his strongest supporters. A brilliant instinctive politician, Jokowi, as he is known, was resoundingly re-elected in 2019. However, he has struggled to turn success at the ballot box into the transformational change that Indonesia desperately needs. Jokowi has vowed to turn the world’s fourth most populous nation into an Asian powerhouse with a strong economy and the heft to defend its international interests at a time of renewed US-China rivalry. Progress has been slow, however. And the scale of the challenge is increasing, at home and abroad. As he gets to work in his second and final term, will Jokowi deliver on his grand ambitions? Or will Indonesia once more fall short of expectations? Man of Contradictions, the first English-language political biography of Jokowi, will examine how he became so popular, what makes him tick, and why he will struggle to remake Indonesia. The key to understanding Jokowi lies not in uncovering some core inner convictions but in embracing his contradictions.

Ben Bland is director of the Southeast Asia project at the Lowy Institute. Before joining the Lowy Institute, Ben was an award-winning foreign correspondent for the Financial Times, with postings in Hanoi, Hong Kong and Jakarta and experience reporting across China and Southeast Asia over the previous decade. His first book, Generation HK: Seeking Identity in China’s Shadow, was published in 2017, examining the growing tensions between Hong Kong and Beijing. It was described as a 'David versus Goliath tale' by the Sydney Morning Herald and commended by the Times Liter