Inequality in Indonesia causes a wide range of social, economic, and political problems for young people. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world and sits strategically between Southeast Asia to the north, Australasia to the south, and the Pacific to the east. Although there is universal literacy and numeracy education in the country, there is still limited upward social mobility, and youth wages remain extremely low, especially since over half of the domestic economy is located in the informal sector. Young people entering the Indonesian labor market typically experience financial instability, lack of opportunities, and lack of accessibility to services. Those shortfalls decrease their quality of life and well-being. This includes the uncertainty of contracted work in the digital sector. Such inequalities can be understood along the intersecting dimensions of transition, culture, and generation. Using a Scoping Review method, the chapter traces these dimensions along a temporal trajectory from the 1998 birth of post-authoritarian democracy to the present day. Consideration of important variables including class, gender, ethnicity, religion, and space come together to paint a picture of a generation of Indonesian youth moving forward with high expectations, yet meeting restrictions and multiple obstacles. Nevertheless, young people in Indonesia remain optimistic about their future.

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Young People and Inequality in Indonesia

  • Oki Rahadianto Sutopo,
  • Pam Nilan,
  • Fuji Riang Prastowo

摘要

Inequality in Indonesia causes a wide range of social, economic, and political problems for young people. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world and sits strategically between Southeast Asia to the north, Australasia to the south, and the Pacific to the east. Although there is universal literacy and numeracy education in the country, there is still limited upward social mobility, and youth wages remain extremely low, especially since over half of the domestic economy is located in the informal sector. Young people entering the Indonesian labor market typically experience financial instability, lack of opportunities, and lack of accessibility to services. Those shortfalls decrease their quality of life and well-being. This includes the uncertainty of contracted work in the digital sector. Such inequalities can be understood along the intersecting dimensions of transition, culture, and generation. Using a Scoping Review method, the chapter traces these dimensions along a temporal trajectory from the 1998 birth of post-authoritarian democracy to the present day. Consideration of important variables including class, gender, ethnicity, religion, and space come together to paint a picture of a generation of Indonesian youth moving forward with high expectations, yet meeting restrictions and multiple obstacles. Nevertheless, young people in Indonesia remain optimistic about their future.