Workers and Intellectuals: NGOs, Students, and the Indonesian Labor Movement Buruh dan Intelektual: LSM, Mahasiswa, dan Gerakan Buruh Indonesia

This book examines the resurgence of Indonesia’s independent labor movement in the 1990s after decades of repression, focusing on the contested role played by middle-class activists, particularly students and labor NGOs. As trade unions re-emerged following the fall of the New Order regime in 1998, non-worker intellectuals continued to shape labor organizing, advocacy, and political debate. Tracing historical discussions within Indonesian labor studies and long-standing debates between Leninist and revisionist approaches, Michele Ford analyzes how activists and workers negotiated their respective roles during the decade after Suharto’s downfall. Through detailed empirical research, the book provides an in-depth account of the political, social, and organizational dynamics of Indonesia’s labor movement, offering valuable insights into the intersections of class, intellectual labor, and worker activism.