Electrifying Indonesia: Technology and Social Justice in National Development, a new book by Northwestern Qatar Professor Anto Mohsin, examines the intersection of politics and technology in Indonesia's development post–World War II.
Published by the University of Wisconsin Press as part of its New Perspectives in Southeast Asian Studies series, the book captures the entanglement of politics and technology in Indonesia’s postcolonial electrification and national development. Drawing from Indonesian studies together with science and technology studies (STS), it looks at how the electrification process by which the Indonesian state sought to supply electricity to the entire country was entwined with nation-building and equity.
In the book, Mohsin, an STS scholar, examines how the Indonesian state sought to bring transformative socioeconomic benefits across its territories and populations through electrification as a central part of its nation-building project. He goes on to explain how this entanglement shaped the meanings of electrification and, as a result, the ways private companies and electric cooperatives vied with the hegemonic state power company to participate in transforming the daily lives of Indonesians.
“Following Word War II, many emerging nations in Asia and Africa sought to build their nations using science and technology, and one of the key infrastructures they were keen to develop was the electric power system,” said Mohsin, assistant professor in residence in the Liberal Arts Program. He added, “Various countries took different pathways to electrify their territories, and these diverse approaches collectively form a crucial technological story of the second half of the twentieth century. The story of how and why Indonesia carried out its electrification efforts is part of this larger historical narrative of the historiography of electrification in the Global South to which this book contributes.”
Earlier in 2023, the book was awarded the First Book Subvention Award by the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), along with other books published throughout the year by first-time authors. “It’s an honor to receive this highly competitive award, and I’m grateful for the recognition by the AAS for the quality of my scholarship,” said Mohsin.
"Electrifying Indonesia explores the intricate dynamics between governance, technology, and the aspirations of a diverse populace,” said Marwan Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar. “Professor Anto's book is a valuable resource on the complex interplay of politics and technology in the context of national development, not only in Indonesia but the wider Global South.”
Mohsin’s book is the latest addition to Northwestern Qatar faculty’s research and scholarly productions, which includes a new book on Turkish TV drama by Professor Miriam Berg, another on Middle Eastern media and culture by Professor Joe Khalil, and a memoir essay by Professor Sam Meekings featured in the Best American Essays 2023.
Electrifying Indonesia: Technology and Social Justice in National Development released on December 5, 2023. For more information about the book and ordering, click here to access its website.
