Elected and Non-elected Representative Claim-Makers in Indonesia

Abstract

This chapter explores the place of Bali’s security organisations within the broader context of political representation in contemporary Indonesia. With a theoretical perspective that focuses on emerging practices and forms of discourse as representative claims and repertoires, we can map out some of the ideas and themes presented by both elected and non-elected representative claim-makers. This chapter draws on a wide range of evidence, including interview transcripts and publicly available evidence of claim-making. It highlights some of the key trends in claim-making by both elected and non-elected leaders in Indonesia and contextualises some of the claims made by Bali’s security organisations. Overall, the chapter notes tension between the institutional power of political parties and their ideational weakness, and argues that consequently a vacuum is now being filled with a diverse range of claims by both elected and non-elected representative claim-makers.