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| Pustaka Obor | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pustaka Obor |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Founded | 1980s |
| Founder | Jakob Oetama? |
| Headquarters | Jakarta |
| Publications | Books, translations, essays |
| Topics | Religion, Politics, History, Social Sciences |
Pustaka Obor
Pustaka Obor is an Indonesian publishing house known for producing books on Islamic studies, Indonesian history, political thought, and social criticism. Founded in Jakarta in the late 20th century, it became linked with intellectual currents involving figures from Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and Indonesian academics associated with institutions such as Universitas Indonesia and Gadjah Mada University. The imprint gained recognition for publishing translations and original works by scholars connected to networks around Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya.
The company emerged during the post-Suharto era of expanding print culture alongside publishers in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bandung. Early decades saw interactions with editors and intellectuals who had ties to Kompas, Tempo (magazine), and cultural salons in Menteng and Kota Tua. Its rise paralleled shifts in the Indonesian press law debates of the 1980s and 1990s involving actors such as Megawati Sukarnoputri, Abdurrahman Wahid, and legal reforms influenced by case law from courts in Jakarta and provincial judiciaries. Relationships with bookstores like Togamas, distributors in Surabaya, and library networks at Universitas Airlangga helped shape its footprint.
The catalog includes translations of works by international authors associated with Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Amartya Sen, and texts resonant with readers of Nurcholish Madjid and Gus Dur. It also issues Indonesian-language monographs by scholars from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN), and contributors from think tanks linked to CSIS (Indonesia), LIPI, and activist groups such as Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia. Genres span biographies of figures like Sutan Sjahrir, studies on periods like the Dutch East Indies, and analyses engaging debates around the Constitution of Indonesia and regional autonomy in Aceh and Papua.
Editorial statements emphasize pluralism reflected in works by writers connected to Nahdlatul Ulama intellectuals, progressive Muslim scholars in the tradition of Nurcholish Madjid, secular historians tied to Ricklefs, and critics influenced by global theorists like Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Jürgen Habermas. Notable contributors include academics from Universitas Indonesia and commentators who have appeared alongside personalities such as Anies Baswedan, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, and activists associated with LBH and AJI (Aliansi Jurnalis Independen). The press has published works by translators engaging texts from Albert Camus, Frantz Fanon, and Edward Said for Indonesian audiences.
Distribution channels have encompassed national chains, independent bookstores in Jakarta, university bookstores at Universitas Padjadjaran, and sales at cultural festivals in Yogyakarta and Jakarta International Book Fair. The imprint influenced public debates involving politicians like Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and intellectuals such as Wiranto and Pramoedya Ananta Toer through reprints and curated editions. Libraries including the National Library of Indonesia and university collections in Malang and Makassar have acquired titles for curricula linked to courses on Indonesian literature and regional studies.
Several publications sparked controversies intersecting with figures like B. J. Habibie, debates over blasphemy cases associated with prosecutions under laws used in disputes involving Ahok (Basuki Tjahaja Purnama), and disputes that attracted attention from legal NGOs such as Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia and KontraS. Litigation and censorship episodes involved regional regulatory bodies and decisions influenced by precedents from Indonesian courts in Jakarta and provincial capitals, prompting statements from organizations like AJI and international observers including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Titles from the press have been shortlisted or cited in awards and prizes connected with institutions such as Kompas Book Awards, university literary prizes at Universitas Gadjah Mada, and recognition from cultural events in Yogyakarta and Bandung. Authors published by the house have been recipients of fellowships and honors from bodies like Ford Foundation, Asia Foundation, and academic grants at Leiden University and SOAS University of London for Indonesian studies.
Category:Publishing companies of Indonesia Category:Indonesian literature