In 1997, a backpacking trip from Bali to Lombok threw Jacqui Baker, then 19, and her friends straight into the heady world of Indonesian politics, setting her on a career-long journey toward understanding more about this incredible archipelago.

Jacqui's countless experiences across the country have been nothing short of extraordinary - from hanging with jihadists to hearing songs of revolution - and the country’s kaleidoscope of perspectives makes this nation so incredible.

We speak with Dr Jacqui Baker, a 2004 John Monash Scholar, about what makes Indonesia special and how Australia should support its social and political stability. Jacqui is a lecturer in Southeast Asian Studies at Murdoch University, where she is President of the Indonesia Council. She is also an editor at the Journal for Southeast Asian Studies and host of the podcast Talking Indonesia.

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