The substance, ideology, and narrative were left to the historians and writing team to preserve creativity, academic freedom, and integrity,
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Culture Ministry has launched five volumes of an 11-volume national history book series titledSejarah Indonesia: Dinamika Kebangsaan dalam Arus Global(Indonesia’s History: National Dynamics in the Global Current).
“The work shows that this is an answer to a long-held aspiration, especially among historians and organizations, to present a comprehensive and authoritative national history,” Culture Minister Fadli Zon said at a press conference here on Monday.
He explained that the book series was facilitated by the Culture Ministry, while the authors were given full freedom over the substance of their writing without any intervention.
“Since the beginning of the drafting process, the Culture Ministry has consistently positioned itself as a facilitator. The substance, ideology, and narrative were left to the historians and writing team to preserve creativity, academic freedom, and integrity,” he said.
He added that the state also has a responsibility to ensure citizens have access to historical research, scholarship, enrichment, and preservation.
According to him, the book series carries a broader mission to shift the old paradigm so that history is no longer merely a matter of memorizing dates, but also serves as an instrument for developing critical thinking and understanding people’s rights.
“This book positions Indonesia as an active subject, with an Indonesia-centric perspective, rather than a colonial perspective,” he affirmed.
A total of 123 writers were involved in the project, comprising historians, archaeologists, philologists, and epigraphists, as well as researchers from 34 universities and 11 non-university institutions.
The history book series consists of 11 volumes in total, with the remaining six volumes scheduled to be launched in September 2026.
The five volumes launched are Volume I, titled “Roots of Nusantara Civilization”; Volume II, “Nusantara in the Global Network”; Volume III, “Nusantara in the Global Network: The Middle East”; Volume IV, “Early Interaction with the West: Competition and Alliance”; and Volume V, “Indonesian Society and the Formation of the Colonial State.”
The book series is now accessible to the public via pustakabudaya.id. The ministry hopes it will reach Indonesians across the country and serve as a reference for historical research, while ensuring that the digital manuscripts remain secure from manipulation and cyberattacks.
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Translator: Sinta, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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