2014 Arryman Fellows Symposium held on May 16

On Saturday, May 16th, the 2014 Arryman Fellows presented their year-long research projects and were recognized for their achievements.

Yoes Kenawas: “The Rise of Political Dynasties in a Democratic Society”
Respondent: Yuchen Liu, PhD Student, Political Science

This paper analyzes the underlying causes of the formation of political dynasties and the political mechanisms that enable dynastic politicians to preserve and to extend their power in consolidating democracies. Additionally, by using Indonesia as a case study, this paper examines dynastic variations within a democracy.

Sabina Puspita: “Who Let the Watchdogs Out? The Proliferation of National Watchdog Agencies in Indonesia’s Post-Reformasi Era”
Respondent: Laura Garcia Montoya, PhD Student, Political Science

Indonesia’s post-reformasi era has seen a proliferation of judicial watchdog agencies that are set to reform the legal infrastructure at the national level. This study proposes an analytical framework that emphasizes two factors which contributed to this proliferation and affected the trajectory of these agencies’ effectiveness, namely, pressing socioeconomic issues and change-agents.

Wara Urwasi: “Spatial Segregation and Ethno-religious Violence: A Lesson from Ambon, Indonesia”
Respondent: Lisa-Jo K. Van Den Scott, PhD Candidate, Sociology

This paper examines when and how space influences the occurrence of communal violence, particularly among ethno-religious groups. The spatial dimension is explored through a study of Ambon, a provincial city with large Christian and Muslim populations. The preliminary findings confirm the hypothesis that space acted as a motivation-driven mechanism and an opportunity-driven mechanism.