Month: December 2011


  • Changing Worlds #4 — Peter Carey

    Event Details: “The World We Have Lost: Reflections on Indonesia’s Last 200 Years, 1811 – 2011”

    Speaker: Peter Carey, Fellow Emeritus Trinity College, Oxford
    Date: Tuesday, 27 December 2011
    Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
    Venue: 22 Marshall Road, Singapore 424858

    About the Speaker:
    Born in Rangoon, Burma on 30 April 1948, Peter Carey’s upbringing was grounded in the cultural tapestry of Asia, shaped by his parents’ lives. His education spanned the UK from 1956 to 1969, culminating in his graduation from Oxford with a degree in Modern History. This academic journey led him to pursue postgraduate studies at Cornell, where his fascination with Javanese History took root.

    Serendipitous circumstances propelled Carey’s curiosity towards Prince Diponegoro of Yogyakarta (1785-1855), a pivotal figure in the Java War (1825-30) against Dutch colonial rule. This enigmatic personality, echoing the complexity of Hamlet, grappled with the intersection of mysticism and a higher calling to lead a Holy War (perang sabil) against the Dutch. Diponegoro’s life epitomized the paradoxes and tragedies wrought by colonialism. During the years 1808 to 1812, Javanese society underwent seismic ruptures, resulting in the emergence of a new colonial state.

    In his upcoming talk, Peter Carey will delve into the historical figure of Diponegoro and explore his relevance in contemporary times. Amidst a scarcity of visionary leadership, Carey’s reflections will resonate, particularly in the context of Indonesia’s unique challenges leading up to the 2014 Presidential election. This talk seeks to illuminate the lessons from the past that can illuminate the path forward for the Indonesian state.