Indonesian Ministry of Culture Launches New History Series, Encouraging Critical Discourse

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Culture has launched the first five volumes of the book History of Indonesia: National Dynamics in Global Currents. Culture Minister Fadli Zon said this series not only updates the writing of national history, but also opens up space for criticism and the birth of rival works. The launch was held at the Main Building of the Ministry of Culture, Jakarta, Monday, August 31. Fadli said the book was compiled with an Indonesian-centric perspective and no longer placed history merely as a memorization of dates, figures, and events. "History is no longer just a memorization of dates, names, figures, but an instrument for sharpening critical thinking, understanding the root of contemporary problems, and mapping the future direction of the nation," said Fadli. According to Fadli, this series also includes findings from dissertations, theses, journal articles, and recent research. His approach includes environmental history, gender, collective memory, postcolonial studies, as well as various other disciplines to expand the coverage of figures, regions, and events that have previously received less attention. Fadli hopes that the book does not stop being the only reference. He actually encouraged historians and researchers to produce new writings that could support, develop, and even criticize the series. The Ministry of Culture said the entire project consists of 10 main volumes arranged chronologically and thematically, plus one volume of faktenka. A total of 123 experts were involved as writers and editors. They come from 34 universities and 11 non-university institutions with backgrounds in history, archaeology, philology, epigraphy, genetics, paleoanthropology, and other fields. The first five volumes discuss the journey of Nusantara from the roots of civilization to the formation of national consciousness. Volume one reviews the roots of the Nusantara civilization. Volume two discusses relations with India, China, and Persia. Volume three reviews the network with the Middle East and the process of Islamisation. Volume four discusses the initial interaction with Western powers in the 16th to 18th centuries. Meanwhile, volume five traces social-political changes from the 18th century to the early 20th century, including the growth of national consciousness. The series was previously introduced to the public on December 14, 2025. After that, the drafting team made technical improvements to the issuance. The digital version of the book is also available through pustakabudaya.id so that it can be accessed by students, students, teachers, lecturers, researchers, and the general public.