ABSTRACT
Indonesia, one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, exposes a remarkable degree of social cohesion. The reasons for this are manifold, but common historical experiences, a relatively effective nation-building process, favourable indigenous traditions, and the successful promotion of a common language created an overarching feeling of togetherness as a single nation. After the country’s independence in 1945, enormous socio-cultural, political and economic transformations changed the social composition and structure of Indonesian society to a great extent. Nowadays, there is a multitude of challenges for social cohesion. The two single most important ones, which will be discussed more closely in this article, are growing radicalisation and intolerance among the Muslim community as well as countrywide rising economic inequality.
