Abstract
The long-standing debate about civil-military relations remains unresolved, especially in light of the third wave of democratization. This study highlights the Indonesian case and its democratization experiment and argues that in spite of changes in civil-military relations during the "third wave," there are certain imperatives that have remained constant. Using Rebecca Schiff's concordance approach, and taking into consideration Indonesia's historical and cultural realities, the article analyzes both the transformation of civilmilitary relations in Indonesia and its limitations. The Indonesian military remains a critical political player in Indonesian politics despite democratization, with a "back to barracks" posture that is unlikely to change in the near future, especially at a time when the country is faced with numerous security challenges and instabilities.
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