Bali beyond the bomb: disparate discourses and implications for sustainability

Abstract

This paper reflects on varied local responses to the Kuta bombings and situates them within recent political events in Indonesia. It notes that there is an increasingly voiced need for the fuller incorporation of local realities into future development paradigms in Bali. Following 12 October there was a politically powerful and urgent call for Bali to get back to 'business as usual'. This opinion was presented rationally, coherently and with authority. It is, it implies, the voice of Bali. However, for many in Bali the events of 12 October presented a critical time for reflection and seeds were evident of fledgling calls for change. It is suggested that for development to be sustainable in Bali there is a need to recontextualize policies and agendas in line with recent socio-political events. Crucially, there is a growing need for a change of emphasis away from a broad focus on conflicts between tourists and hosts and towards conflicts within and between localized communities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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