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Sulthon Sjahril Sabaruddin

Visiting Fulbright Scholar 2014/2015, Department of Economics, Pomona College

About Indonesia

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world with around 240 million people. Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world with an estimation around 18,307 islands. It is the third largest democratic country and the largest Muslim-majority nation in the world, and one of the most pluralistic societies in the world with around 300 ethnic groups and speaks around 365 different local languages. We live with a motto so-called “Unity in Diversity” meaning that although there are different religions, ethnics, and languages but we live peacefully and united. Indonesia is a very big country with diverse cultures, beautiful and rich in natural resources and there are so many to share.

Java Dance

Personal Biography

Sulthon Sjahril Sabaruddin is currently a Visiting Fulbright Scholar 2014/2015 at the Department of Economics, Pomona College. He is an Indonesian official diplomat working at the Center for Policy Analysis and Development on American and European Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. He is also an adjunct economics lecturer at Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta. He has written articles mostly in national scholarly journals and won several prestigious awards and scholarships including those from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mexican Government. He completed Doctorate Degree in Economics from University of Indonesia in 2012.

Visiting Fulbright Scholar 2014/2015, Pomona College from November 2014 to May 2015

The goal of his stay at the Department of Economics, Pomona College is to collaborate with Stephen V. Marks, Elden Smith Professor of Economics, on the proposed research project under the theme “Towards Enhancing Trade Potentials between Indonesia and the Latin American and Caribbean Countries: Export Competitiveness and Partial Equilibrium Analysis”. The study among others uses the SMART Model, international trade indicators and mappings, and qualitative political-economic analysis.

As an Indonesian citizen currently pursuing careers as a diplomat and scholar, it is already become his full responsibility to be able to communicate and share to all people throughout the world on understandings and enhance awareness about his country, Indonesia. As for his scholarly research, the ultimate objective is to enhance awareness and understandings on Indonesia-Latin American relations. Indonesia-Latin American relations have always been a challenge for both sides and despite some initiatives made by both sides, less attention still prevail in many occasions. As his scholarly interest, it is his strong duty to help achieve towards strengthening Indonesia-Latin American relations among others through strong scholarly thoughts. His thoughts and analysis could certainly trigger different views to many stakeholders in which some may agree or disagree, but at the end, this study conducted is for the betterment of towards building a strong Indonesia-Latin American relations. He firmly believe that the potential is there, Indonesia can be the right future partner for Latin American countries, if there are strong political willingness from both sides.

Apart from conducting the research works, he also participated the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program and Digital Learning Lab Workshops organized by the Claremont Graduate University. Further, he does also audit and visit certain classes, seminars and conferences at the Claremont Colleges. He considers all of these activities as part of his capacity development program to ultimately be an excellent scholar. During the sidelines, he does enjoy participate the Indonesian table program at the Oldenborg, Pomona College; socialize and participate the Indonesian communities in Claremont Colleges; and write short articles and academic papers based on his own research interest areas. For him, the opportunity given to be a visiting scholar is not only invaluable for his career back in his home country but most importantly is the opportunity to build long-lasting friends, relations and networks with experts and practitioners in Claremont Colleges as well as outside campus, particularly in his research areas. Thus, this journey is just a beginning.

Papers Work in Progress

The Potential Political Economic Impact of the Proposed Indonesia-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Co-authored with Prof. Stephen V. Marks).

The Golden Jubilee of Indonesia-Uruguay Diplomatic Relations: What’s Next?

Paper Presentations

Pacific Coast Council on Latin American Studies (PCCLAS): Latin America and the World: Exchanges and Encounters, California State University Los Angeles, 20 February 2015. Link: http://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/users/u3086/pcclas2015_schedule-revised.pdf

L.A. Policy Symposium 2015, Pardee RAND Graduate School, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, 10 April 2015. Link: http://www.prgs.edu/students/beyond-the-classroom/policy-symposium/current.html#abstracts

Other Publications

“Blueprint Needed for Foreign Policy on Latin America,” Opinion: The Jakarta Post, 25 January. Available online: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/25/blueprint-needed-foreign-policy-latin-america.html

Grants

The Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) to Support the Visiting Fulbright Scholar to Deliver a Visiting Lecture at the Center for Latin American and Border Studies, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 1 April 2015.

Invited Speakers

Invited Speaker for the Oldenborg Luncheon Colloquium (OLC) entitled “Indonesian Latin American Relations: Partnership for a Better Future”, Pomona College, Claremont – United States, 20 April 2015. Available online: http://oldenborg.pomona.edu/language-programming/speaker-series/

Guest Speaker entitled “An Overview on Indonesia-Latin American Relations” Co-sponsored by Carruthers Chair in Economic Development and Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Fulbright Program for the Spring 2015 Speaker Series: Latin America and the Border, The Center for Latin American and Border Studies (CLABS), New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 1 April 2015.

Invited Speaker entitled “An Overview of Indonesian Diaspora in Latin America” for the Population Economics class by Regents Professor Jim Peach, Department of Economics, International Business and Applied Statistics, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 1 April 2015.

Invited Speaker entitled “Indonesian Foreign Policy towards Latin America” for the Pacific Coast Council on Latin American Studies (PCCLAS), California State University, Los Angeles, 16 April 2015. Link: http://www.calstatela.edu/event/%E2%80%9Cindonesian-foreign-policy-towards-latin-american-region%E2%80%9D

Please contact Dr. Sulthon at:

Sulthon Sjahril Sabaruddin 

Crookshank Hall, Office Room 203, Pomona College.

140 W. Sixth St., Claremont, CA 91711