Foreign Policy and the Media: The US in the Eyes of the Indonesian Press [Paperback]

This book analyzes the response of the Indonesian press to American foreign policy during the administrations of Presidents Bush and Obama. Situated in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the worlds fourth most populous country and the largest Muslim nation, and as such is a potentially vital economic and strategic partner to the US in the 21^st century. Ever since Indonesian independence post World War II, relations to the US have been marked by ups and downs. The author argues that the way the Indonesian public perceives the world has an impact on the national self-image that again heavily influences national foreign affairs. For both the US and Indonesia, this is a crucial moment in bilateral relations. This study explores Indonesian media responses to American foreign policy by analyzing more than 400 press articles. In the context of President Obamas declared pivot to Asia, both countries need to find a way to foster better relations.

Acknowledgements.- Introduction The Relevance of the Indonesian-American Relations.- 1. Theoretical Perspectives  A Lens through which to View the World.- 1.1 Zone of Collaboration? Southeast Asian Area Studies and Political Science.- 1.2 Interpretivist Social Constructivism as a Research Perspective.- 1.3 Power and Social Constructivism.- 1.4 Images in International Relations.- 1.5 Media Power in Societies.- 1.6 Threat and Opportunity.- 2. A Research Design for a Qualitative Image Study.- 2.1 Triangulation as a Research Strategy.- 2.2 The Sources of Data.- 2.2.1 Tertiary Source: Statistical Data on the US Image in Indonesia 2.2.2 Secondary Source: Expert Interviews.- 2.2.3 Primary Source: Expert Interviews.- 2.3 Analysis of the Primary Source Data.- 2.3.1 US Foreign Policy Image in the Indonesian Press: Decisions Involved.- 2.3.2 Diverse Cases Design.- 2.3.3 Deconstructing Press Articles: Content and Critical Discourse Analysis.- 2.3.4 Enacting the Process of Analysis.-&l³¶