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Shofwan Al-Banna Choiruzzad

University of Indonesia, Department of International Relations, Faculty Member

Ritsumeikan University, Graduate School of International Relations, Alumnus

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Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad is a lecturer at the International Relations Department, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia. His research interests are the political economy of international trade and finance, economic diplomacy, ASEAN, the political economy of Islamic movements, and the nexus between ‘the global’ and ‘the local’. Currently, he is also serving as the Executive Secretary of ASEAN Study Center, Universitas Indonesia.
Supervisors: Jun Honna and Andi Widjajanto
Address: Kelapa Dua Residence F-27
Jl. Tugu Raya, Cimanggis, Depok
Jawa Barat, Indonesia

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Papers by Shofwan Al-Banna Choiruzzad

Anthropocentrisation and Its Discontents in Indonesia: Indigenous Communities, Non-Human Nature and Anthropocentric Political–Economic Governance

The ambiguities of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil certification: internal incoherence, governance rescaling and state transformation

Asia Europe Journal

There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s t... more There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s two major palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, and the sustainability governance mechanisms shaping global environmental and trade standards emerging from Europe. The establishment of the national Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification standard in 2011 is a sign of discontent with the transnational Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) regime, sparking debate about the legitimacy of private governance models initiated by non-governmental organizations and companies in Europe. This article questions whether the adoption of sustainability norms by Indonesia signals normative convergence or the emergence of rival governance structures that challenge the state. Evidence suggests that elements of norm adoption and rival governance coexist in Indonesia and that ISPO certification is an ambiguous policy with degrees of internal incoherence. The ambiguous nature of ISPO c...

The ambiguities of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil certification: internal incoherence, governance rescaling and state transformation

Asia Europe Journal

There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s t... more There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s two major palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, and the sustainability governance mechanisms shaping global environmental and trade standards emerging from Europe. The establishment of the national Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification standard in 2011 is a sign of discontent with the transnational Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) regime, sparking debate about the legitimacy of private governance models initiated by non-governmental organizations and companies in Europe. This article questions whether the adoption of sustainability norms by Indonesia signals normative convergence or the emergence of rival governance structures that challenge the state. Evidence suggests that elements of norm adoption and rival governance coexist in Indonesia and that ISPO certification is an ambiguous policy with degrees of internal incoherence. The ambiguous nature of ISPO c...

Tropical peatlands and their conservation are important in the context of COVID-19 and potential future (zoonotic) disease pandemics

PeerJ

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemic... more The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemics having been linked to habitat encroachment and/or wildlife exploitation. High impacts of COVID-19 are apparent in some countries with large tropical peatland areas, some of which are relatively poorly resourced to tackle disease pandemics. Despite this, no previous investigation has considered tropical peatlands in the context of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Here, we review: (i) the potential for future EIDs arising from tropical peatlands; (ii) potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from COVID-19; and (iii) potential steps to help mitigate these risks. We find that high biodiversity in tropical peat-swamp forests, including presence of many potential vertebrate and invertebrate vectors, combined, in places, with high levels of habitat disruption and wildlife harvesting represent suitable conditions for potential zoonotic EID (re-)emergence. A...

To Build the World Anew: Decolonization and Cold War in Indonesia

Asian Perspective

ASEAN as ‘Compartmentalized Regionalism’

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

Artikel ini mencoba menawarkan cara pandang ontologis baru untuk melihat ASEAN dengan memperkenal... more Artikel ini mencoba menawarkan cara pandang ontologis baru untuk melihat ASEAN dengan memperkenalkan konsep 'compartmentalized regionalism' ('regionalisme terkompartementalisasi').Berbeda dengan pandangan umum para praktisi diplomasi ASEAN maupun para akademisi yang melihat sejarah ASEAN sebagai sebuah evolusi linear dari sebuah proyek regional yang berfokus pada dimensi politik dan keamanan menjadi sebuah proyek regional yang bersifat multidimensional melalui 'perluasan dan pendalaman' ('widening and deepening'), gagasan 'compartmentalized regionalism' mengenali perkembangan ASEAN sebagai perkembangan dua proyek regionalisme yang terpisah namun diletakkan dalam satu nama. Kedua proyek regionalisme ini memiliki pengaturan yang berbeda, didorong oleh aktor-aktor yang berlainan, serta bekerja berdasarkan logika yang tak sama. Dengan demikian, perkembangan ASEAN selayaknya tidak dilihat hanya sebagai 'perluasan dan pendalaman' ('widen...

Deconstructing the Palm Oil Industry Narrative in Indonesia: Evidence from Riau Province

Contemporary Southeast Asia

Indonesia is the leading global producer of crude palm oil. Mass production of palm oil requires ... more Indonesia is the leading global producer of crude palm oil. Mass production of palm oil requires large-scale land conversion, resulting in Indonesia having the world's highest rate of annual primary forest loss. Given the contentious nature and scale of palm oil production, this article considers Indonesia as a variant of the developmental patrimonialism model often applied to African countries. Developmental patrimonialism in the Indonesian context suggests that state power-expressed through various discourse and policy coalitions-favours palm oil companies and seeks legitimation through claims about national economic benefits. This development model may lead to absolute poverty reduction, employment and tax revenue, but can also produce inequality, resource dependencies and environmental degradation. From the authors' observations in Riau province, there is a mismatch between the national narrative of palm oil as a force for good and the conspicuous underinvestment in public services and infrastructure, which undermines the legitimacy of some palm oil industry claims. The complexity of village Riau casts further doubt on generalized claims about rural development.

Save Palm Oil, Save the Nation: Palm Oil Companies and the Shaping of Indonesia’s National Interest

Asian Politics & Policy

ASEAN in the Age of Anti-Globalization: Compartmentalized Regionalism(s) and Three Trajectories

IKAT : The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Studies

This essay attempts to examine the prospect of ASEAN integration in the age of anti-globalization... more This essay attempts to examine the prospect of ASEAN integration in the age of anti-globalization by understanding ASEAN as a compartmentalized regionalism. It argues that discussions on the prospect of ASEAN are actually discussions on the trajectories of two separate regional projects: economic regionalism and political security regionalism. It must be noted that we often have difficulties separating the two because their evolution has so far been marked by centripetal movement towards liberal tradition in the two regional projects. However, since we are entering the age of anti-globalization, this is changing. To make an educated guess on the future of ASEAN regionalism(s), I argue that we should focus our attention to three main indicators: (1) Structural: will the international system be cooperative or competitive multipolar system? (2) National elite orientation: will the liberal elites and technocracy in ASEAN countries remain liberal, or will nationalist elites take charge?;...

Palm oil intensification and expansion in Indonesia and Malaysia: Environmental and socio-political factors influencing policy

Forest Policy and Economics

Can Africa and Asia Get it Together?

Indonesia's Islamic Economy Project and the Islamic Scholars

Procedia Environmental Sciences, 2013

More Gain, More Pain: The Development of Indonesia's Islamic Economy Movement (1980s–2012)

Indonesia, 2013

More Democracies, More Peaceful? The Influences of Democratic Peace Theory in ASEAN Democratization Agenda

More Gain, More Pain: The Development of Islamic Economy Movement in Indonesia (1980s-2012)

This essay offers a comprehensive picture of the development of the Islamic economy movement in I... more This essay offers a comprehensive picture of the development of the Islamic economy movement in Indonesia from its early stages (in the 1980s) until the present. The paper traces the development of the movement chronologically and elaborates the social and political dynamics that influenced this development through its various stages. It argues that Indonesia's Islamic economy movement had undergone significant changes, both in rhetoric and structure, as a result of interactions between different advocates representing the state and civil society, as well as business entrepreneurs.

Indonesia Must Do More to Clean Up Palm Oil's Image

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is waging a diplomatic battle to "tear down the barriers" that t... more Indonesian President Joko Widodo is waging a diplomatic battle to "tear down the barriers" that threaten global demand for one of the country's biggest exports -- palm oil. While his government and the industry agree that there are genuine environmental concerns associated with palm oil plantations, they argue that Indonesia has made a lot of efforts to rein in problems such as deforestation, and that cases of nonsustainable practices cited by anti-palm oil action groups are not representative of the whole industry. They say developed countries have used these partial accounts to justify trade barriers designed to shield their own products under the pretext of environmental protection.

Within a Thick Mist: Conspiracy Theories and Counter Terrorism in Indonesia

This paper discusses Indonesian ‘radical groups’ discourse on counter-terrorism policies by the g... more This paper discusses Indonesian ‘radical groups’ discourse on counter-terrorism policies by the government of Indonesia and why it is important to look at it closely to help us to understand the real dynamics surrounding Indonesia’s war on terrorism. Until now, official information from the Indonesian authorities regarding terrorist groups and counter terrorism efforts had been the most important sources in shaping various analysis’ both in academics and mass media on the issue of terrorism at the national and global level. Despite plenty of evidences that undermine the credibility of some official information, from indications of proof fabrication and witness manipulation to excessive violence and extrajudicial killings, they had never been adequately criticized and questioned. The information from the authorities was frequently taken as ‘the (only) truth.’ Of course, different stories on terrorism and counter terrorism policies in Indonesia did exist. Many of them came from the target of counter terrorism policies: Indonesian ‘radical’ Islamist organizations. Nevertheless, their versions were often taken for granted as false stories that must not be heard at all. This paper traces back how the Global War on Terror discourse had created a ‘binary opposition of rationality’ that build and strengthen the stereotype that radical Islamists are irrational actors who create and believe in conspiracy theories. This ‘binary opposition of rationality’ had been used to dismiss all criticisms to official information regarding the issue of terrorism and counter terrorism policies in Indonesia by labeling it as conspiracy theories. Looking closely at Indonesia’s political history and current practices of counter terrorism, this paper argues that both official and alternative versions need to be heard and scrutinized critically.

Global War on Terror, Securitization, and Human (In)Security: Indonesia's Case

Making Politics Fun: Youth Empowerment and Democracy

Boundaries as Bridges: A Reflection for Transnational Business Actors

Anthropocentrisation and Its Discontents in Indonesia: Indigenous Communities, Non-Human Nature and Anthropocentric Political–Economic Governance

The ambiguities of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil certification: internal incoherence, governance rescaling and state transformation

Asia Europe Journal

There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s t... more There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s two major palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, and the sustainability governance mechanisms shaping global environmental and trade standards emerging from Europe. The establishment of the national Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification standard in 2011 is a sign of discontent with the transnational Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) regime, sparking debate about the legitimacy of private governance models initiated by non-governmental organizations and companies in Europe. This article questions whether the adoption of sustainability norms by Indonesia signals normative convergence or the emergence of rival governance structures that challenge the state. Evidence suggests that elements of norm adoption and rival governance coexist in Indonesia and that ISPO certification is an ambiguous policy with degrees of internal incoherence. The ambiguous nature of ISPO c...

The ambiguities of Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil certification: internal incoherence, governance rescaling and state transformation

Asia Europe Journal

There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s t... more There are persistent tensions of both a technical and political nature between Southeast Asia’s two major palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, and the sustainability governance mechanisms shaping global environmental and trade standards emerging from Europe. The establishment of the national Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification standard in 2011 is a sign of discontent with the transnational Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) regime, sparking debate about the legitimacy of private governance models initiated by non-governmental organizations and companies in Europe. This article questions whether the adoption of sustainability norms by Indonesia signals normative convergence or the emergence of rival governance structures that challenge the state. Evidence suggests that elements of norm adoption and rival governance coexist in Indonesia and that ISPO certification is an ambiguous policy with degrees of internal incoherence. The ambiguous nature of ISPO c...

Tropical peatlands and their conservation are important in the context of COVID-19 and potential future (zoonotic) disease pandemics

PeerJ

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemic... more The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemics having been linked to habitat encroachment and/or wildlife exploitation. High impacts of COVID-19 are apparent in some countries with large tropical peatland areas, some of which are relatively poorly resourced to tackle disease pandemics. Despite this, no previous investigation has considered tropical peatlands in the context of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Here, we review: (i) the potential for future EIDs arising from tropical peatlands; (ii) potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from COVID-19; and (iii) potential steps to help mitigate these risks. We find that high biodiversity in tropical peat-swamp forests, including presence of many potential vertebrate and invertebrate vectors, combined, in places, with high levels of habitat disruption and wildlife harvesting represent suitable conditions for potential zoonotic EID (re-)emergence. A...

To Build the World Anew: Decolonization and Cold War in Indonesia

Asian Perspective

ASEAN as ‘Compartmentalized Regionalism’

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

Artikel ini mencoba menawarkan cara pandang ontologis baru untuk melihat ASEAN dengan memperkenal... more Artikel ini mencoba menawarkan cara pandang ontologis baru untuk melihat ASEAN dengan memperkenalkan konsep 'compartmentalized regionalism' ('regionalisme terkompartementalisasi').Berbeda dengan pandangan umum para praktisi diplomasi ASEAN maupun para akademisi yang melihat sejarah ASEAN sebagai sebuah evolusi linear dari sebuah proyek regional yang berfokus pada dimensi politik dan keamanan menjadi sebuah proyek regional yang bersifat multidimensional melalui 'perluasan dan pendalaman' ('widening and deepening'), gagasan 'compartmentalized regionalism' mengenali perkembangan ASEAN sebagai perkembangan dua proyek regionalisme yang terpisah namun diletakkan dalam satu nama. Kedua proyek regionalisme ini memiliki pengaturan yang berbeda, didorong oleh aktor-aktor yang berlainan, serta bekerja berdasarkan logika yang tak sama. Dengan demikian, perkembangan ASEAN selayaknya tidak dilihat hanya sebagai 'perluasan dan pendalaman' ('widen...

Deconstructing the Palm Oil Industry Narrative in Indonesia: Evidence from Riau Province

Contemporary Southeast Asia

Indonesia is the leading global producer of crude palm oil. Mass production of palm oil requires ... more Indonesia is the leading global producer of crude palm oil. Mass production of palm oil requires large-scale land conversion, resulting in Indonesia having the world's highest rate of annual primary forest loss. Given the contentious nature and scale of palm oil production, this article considers Indonesia as a variant of the developmental patrimonialism model often applied to African countries. Developmental patrimonialism in the Indonesian context suggests that state power-expressed through various discourse and policy coalitions-favours palm oil companies and seeks legitimation through claims about national economic benefits. This development model may lead to absolute poverty reduction, employment and tax revenue, but can also produce inequality, resource dependencies and environmental degradation. From the authors' observations in Riau province, there is a mismatch between the national narrative of palm oil as a force for good and the conspicuous underinvestment in public services and infrastructure, which undermines the legitimacy of some palm oil industry claims. The complexity of village Riau casts further doubt on generalized claims about rural development.

Save Palm Oil, Save the Nation: Palm Oil Companies and the Shaping of Indonesia’s National Interest

Asian Politics & Policy

ASEAN in the Age of Anti-Globalization: Compartmentalized Regionalism(s) and Three Trajectories

IKAT : The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Studies

This essay attempts to examine the prospect of ASEAN integration in the age of anti-globalization... more This essay attempts to examine the prospect of ASEAN integration in the age of anti-globalization by understanding ASEAN as a compartmentalized regionalism. It argues that discussions on the prospect of ASEAN are actually discussions on the trajectories of two separate regional projects: economic regionalism and political security regionalism. It must be noted that we often have difficulties separating the two because their evolution has so far been marked by centripetal movement towards liberal tradition in the two regional projects. However, since we are entering the age of anti-globalization, this is changing. To make an educated guess on the future of ASEAN regionalism(s), I argue that we should focus our attention to three main indicators: (1) Structural: will the international system be cooperative or competitive multipolar system? (2) National elite orientation: will the liberal elites and technocracy in ASEAN countries remain liberal, or will nationalist elites take charge?;...

Palm oil intensification and expansion in Indonesia and Malaysia: Environmental and socio-political factors influencing policy

Forest Policy and Economics

Can Africa and Asia Get it Together?

Indonesia's Islamic Economy Project and the Islamic Scholars

Procedia Environmental Sciences, 2013

More Gain, More Pain: The Development of Indonesia's Islamic Economy Movement (1980s–2012)

Indonesia, 2013

More Democracies, More Peaceful? The Influences of Democratic Peace Theory in ASEAN Democratization Agenda

More Gain, More Pain: The Development of Islamic Economy Movement in Indonesia (1980s-2012)

This essay offers a comprehensive picture of the development of the Islamic economy movement in I... more This essay offers a comprehensive picture of the development of the Islamic economy movement in Indonesia from its early stages (in the 1980s) until the present. The paper traces the development of the movement chronologically and elaborates the social and political dynamics that influenced this development through its various stages. It argues that Indonesia's Islamic economy movement had undergone significant changes, both in rhetoric and structure, as a result of interactions between different advocates representing the state and civil society, as well as business entrepreneurs.

Indonesia Must Do More to Clean Up Palm Oil's Image

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is waging a diplomatic battle to "tear down the barriers" that t... more Indonesian President Joko Widodo is waging a diplomatic battle to "tear down the barriers" that threaten global demand for one of the country's biggest exports -- palm oil. While his government and the industry agree that there are genuine environmental concerns associated with palm oil plantations, they argue that Indonesia has made a lot of efforts to rein in problems such as deforestation, and that cases of nonsustainable practices cited by anti-palm oil action groups are not representative of the whole industry. They say developed countries have used these partial accounts to justify trade barriers designed to shield their own products under the pretext of environmental protection.

Within a Thick Mist: Conspiracy Theories and Counter Terrorism in Indonesia

This paper discusses Indonesian ‘radical groups’ discourse on counter-terrorism policies by the g... more This paper discusses Indonesian ‘radical groups’ discourse on counter-terrorism policies by the government of Indonesia and why it is important to look at it closely to help us to understand the real dynamics surrounding Indonesia’s war on terrorism. Until now, official information from the Indonesian authorities regarding terrorist groups and counter terrorism efforts had been the most important sources in shaping various analysis’ both in academics and mass media on the issue of terrorism at the national and global level. Despite plenty of evidences that undermine the credibility of some official information, from indications of proof fabrication and witness manipulation to excessive violence and extrajudicial killings, they had never been adequately criticized and questioned. The information from the authorities was frequently taken as ‘the (only) truth.’ Of course, different stories on terrorism and counter terrorism policies in Indonesia did exist. Many of them came from the target of counter terrorism policies: Indonesian ‘radical’ Islamist organizations. Nevertheless, their versions were often taken for granted as false stories that must not be heard at all. This paper traces back how the Global War on Terror discourse had created a ‘binary opposition of rationality’ that build and strengthen the stereotype that radical Islamists are irrational actors who create and believe in conspiracy theories. This ‘binary opposition of rationality’ had been used to dismiss all criticisms to official information regarding the issue of terrorism and counter terrorism policies in Indonesia by labeling it as conspiracy theories. Looking closely at Indonesia’s political history and current practices of counter terrorism, this paper argues that both official and alternative versions need to be heard and scrutinized critically.

Global War on Terror, Securitization, and Human (In)Security: Indonesia's Case

Making Politics Fun: Youth Empowerment and Democracy

Boundaries as Bridges: A Reflection for Transnational Business Actors

Europe's Lost Appeal? The Greek Debt Crisis and ASEAN Integration Trajectory

What the Greek Debt Crisis and the impasse of the European Integration project mean for ASEAN int... more What the Greek Debt Crisis and the impasse of the European Integration project mean for ASEAN integration? This article argues that there are at least three possible influence of the events in Greece. First, it could be expected that the normative pressures for a liberal trajectory, both internal and external, are going to decline. The EU will be more cautious in using its toolbox for norm diffusion due to its internal problem with Greece. At the same time, the appeal of liberal prescriptions is also becoming less powerful both at global level (due to the last Global Crisis) and at the domestic level. Second, the prominence of realist mode of interaction in the model liberal institution (the EU) as presented in the case of Greece debt crisis might make ASEAN leaders to place their trust more in power-based calculation rather than liberal prescriptions. Furthermore, Southeast Asia is the region that experience the direct impact of China’s rise, US balancing strategy, and Japan’s attempts to ‘normalize’ itself. Third, the case of Greece debt crisis illustrated the phenomenon of “integration overstretch,” a situation where the desire for deepening and enlarging regional institution is not coupled with the willingness or capacity of the members (or its hegemon) to pay for the price. ASEAN leaders might have to learn from this phenomenon closely.

"Beyond 'a Club for Middle Powers': MIKTA as Global Policy Broker", in MIKTA: Current Situation and The Way Forward, (Jakarta: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RI, 2018).

To move forward, MIKTA needs to go beyond its identity as a group of middle powers. Being a club ... more To move forward, MIKTA needs to go beyond its identity as a group of middle powers. Being a club of middle powers does not provide a clear pathway onhow MIKTA cooperations and initiatives should be designed. This paper argues that with its unique position in the international society, MIKTA can play a strategic role as a ‘global policy broker’ in global policy making system. By conceptualizing MIKTA as a global policy broker, MIKTA countries can have a clearer sense of direction on what MIKTA should do and should focus on. With this, we can really hope that MIKTA will really be a significant “force for good in international affairs.”

'Source of Destruction' or Target of a 'Trade War'? Competing Narratives on the Palm Oil Industry in Indonesia

This chapter discusses how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and palm oil companies in Indone... more This chapter discusses how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and palm oil companies in Indonesia are employing different narratives to shape state policies related to the palm oil industry. There are two conflicting narratives in the country’s palm oil industry-related policymaking process: (i) the ‘source of destruction’ narrative constructed by the NGOs; and, (ii) the ‘trade war’ narrative propounded by Indonesian palm oil companies and their associations. The source of destruction narrative calls for more control of the business practices of palm oil companies, including halting the expansion of palm oil plantations to stop deforestation, while the trade war narrative portrays this demand for more government control of their business practices as an instrument of trade war that is being used by developed countries to protect the competitiveness of their vegetable oils in the global market. Both narratives have shaped the Indonesian government’s policies on palm oil. The source of destruction narrative influenced discussions on the Law on Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction and successfully pushed the government to enact a moratorium on forest conversion. The trade war narrative has also successfully blocked important demands from NGOs, such as their call for a review of existing concession permits within the mechanism of the moratorium. The trade war narrative also led to the establishment of inter-ministerial coordination for organised counter-campaigns against the anti-palm oil campaigns of NGOs. It even prevailed on the government to include palm oil as an agenda item in Indonesia’s economic diplomacy. However, the influences of the two competing narratives have given rise to ineffective and divergent government policies with conflicting aims and goals. To build an effective policy related to the palm oil industry, policy actors, especially the government, would need to build a consolidated narrative that can bridge both these narratives. Such a metanarrative is not impossible.