Indonesia's Democratic Decline: Elite Capture, Populist Communication, & Limits of Resistance with Salvatore Simarmata

Join us for a conversation with Salvatore Simarmata, Buffett-EDGS Visiting Scholar and Senior Lecturer in Communication at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia. 

While for the last two decades Indonesia has regularly held some of the world’s largest free elections, the trend and trajectory of its democracy is consistently declining, evidenced by V-Dem Institute revising Indonesia from electoral democracy to electoral autocracy in 2024. This talk argues that the decline is not a coup, but a gradual erosion caused by persisting elite capture, weaking of democratic institutions, and populist rhetoric. Why is resistance to this regression weak? One answer lies in the populist communication crafted during and beyond electoral periods. Analyzing presidential campaign statements and official speeches, Simarmata will show how the language of "the people," "the nation," and shared prosperity is captured. Hostile rhetoric nearly doubled after the 2025 protests in Indonesia as critics, NGOs, and journalists were recast as agents of foreign powers. Simarmata argues that this is a nationalist structure that allows people to submit to autocratic narratives and leaders. 

Please note that 720 University Place is not an ADA-accessible space. Increasing physical access to buildings and facilities is a goal of the University, but not all buildings and venues have been updated.