Module manager: Dr Matthew Woolgar
Email: M.Woolgar@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
You will explore the post-independence history of Indonesia, one of the world’s most populous countries and a prominent Muslim-majority country. You will study a tumultuous period in Indonesia’s history, from the outbreak of its revolutionary war of independence in the 1940s, through the rise and fall of a dynamic democracy, to the onset of anti-communist massacres and rise of a Western-backed military dictatorship in the mid-1960s. During this period competing visions for Indonesia’s future were vigorously contested, amid vibrant intellectual and cultural debates and the emergence of new social movements. Meanwhile, Indonesia played a leading role in the emerging international movement for Afro-Asian solidarity and against imperialism. You will examine how Indonesians set about meeting the challenges faced by the new republic amid a society marked by social, ethnic and religious diversity, as well as a broader international context of accelerating decolonisation and an intensifying global Cold War. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
This module aims to deepen your understanding of Indonesia’s post-independence transformation by engaging with key debates and a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Through seminar discussions, you will critically examine the political, social, and cultural dynamics that shaped Indonesia and will explore how Indonesians navigated internal diversity and external pressures during a period of rapid global change. The module will develop your skills in interpreting historical sources, constructing evidence-based arguments, and analysing competing historical narratives, with particular attention to the intersections of local agency and international contexts.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Analyse Indonesia’s transition to Independence and its post-independence transformation.
2. Evaluate the interaction between social, cultural, and political dynamics in Indonesia during the period.
3. Assess how Indonesia was affected by developments at local, national, and international levels.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Critically engage with the various interpretations of historical developments that have been put forward by historians.
5. Evaluate a range of primary source materials, showing awareness of their context and limitations.
6. Construct sustained historical arguments supported by appropriate evidence and communicate them concisely.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Supervision | 2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Seminar | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Private study hours | 355.6 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 44.4 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 400 | ||
Discussion in class will enable ongoing feedback and monitoring of student engagement and progress, whilst office hours sessions offer further opportunities to provide formative feedback.
In preparation for the essay, students will have the opportunity to discuss an essay plan in an individual meeting with their tutor.
In preparation for the portfolio, students will have the opportunity to discuss their approach to the portfolio components in an individual meeting with their tutor.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 50 |
| Coursework | Portfolio | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team