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Spatial and Demographic Aspects of the Indonesian Upheavals of 1965-66

Sat, March 18, 8:30 to 10:30am, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Floor: 2nd Floor, Dominion Ballroom South

Abstract

The mass violence that followed the assassination of six top Indonesian generals in 1965 has attracted the attention of scholars past and present. The focus of the rich literature on the subject has been the killings that accompanied the violence, with the elimination of the Communist Party of Indonesia as their primary goal. Using anecdotal materials, scholars have attempted to create a comprehensive picture of the killings, ascribing various causes, often local in nature, to them.

In this project, we move the focus away from the killings of 1965-66 themselves and instead look at broader patterns of demographic change, with a focus on their geography and other demographic and sociological factors that may have contributed to the violence. Using data from various Indonesian censuses for the provinces of Central and East Java, we examine the statistics for evidence of unusual one-time fluctuations in population that could be indicative of localized upheaval caused by killings, in- or out-migration, or other one-time drivers of demographic change. The findings demonstrate distinct politico-geographic patterns as well as patterns that appear to be associated with the military command structure in various locations.

Once a geographic picture of one-time demographic change has been created, we examine the anecdotal literature on the subject and identify points of intersection and discrepancy between the literature and our findings. The points of discrepancy raise interesting questions for future research on this important topic in modern Indonesian history.

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