National Identity and Public Support for Economic Globalisation in Indonesia

Abstract

Nationalism and foreign economic policy have long been intertwined in Indonesia. This article aims to advance our understanding of Indonesian ‘economic nationalism’ by focusing on how national identity shapes the policy preferences of ordinary citizens. Following comparative research on nationalism, this study distinguishes between ethnic and civic conceptions of national identity, and hypothesises that they affect support for international trade and foreign investment in different ways. An original survey finds that both conceptions are prevalent among the Indonesian public, are politically mobilised and indeed affect attitudes towards economic globalisation. While ethnic nationalists are less supportive of international trade and foreign investment, civic nationalists are more likely to consider policy on either area as crucial for Indonesia’s economic development. These results suggest that the relationship between nationalism and economic policy in Indonesia is more complex than research often assumes.