University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 1993 The people of Alor and their alliances in Eastern Indonesia: a study in political sociology Syarifuddin R. Gomang University of Wollongong Recommended Citation Gomang, Syarifuddin R., The people of Alor and their alliances in Eastern Indonesia: a study in political sociology, Master of Arts (Hons.) thesis, Department of Sociology, University of Wollongong, 1993. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/2238 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library:
[email protected] The People of Alor and Their Alliances In Eastern Indonesia: A Study In Political Sociology A thesis submitted in partial fulftlment of the requirement for the award of the degree M.A. (Honours) from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by Syarifuddin R. Gomang Sociology Department 1993 DECLARATION Except where otherwise indicated this thesis is my own work Syarifuddin R. Gomang July 1993 ii ABSTRACT Alor is a unique community in Indonesia. While most ethnic groups in the nation are hierarchical in social structure and modes of social interaction, the Alorese see their community as more egalitarian. This ethic of egalitarianism is a product of how clans are organized, and how the division of status and power roles between them are conceptualized. The ideology of egalitarianism is connected to the way in which the Alorese have established alliances with many other ethnic groups in Eastern Indonesia. Together their principles of social organization and alliance provide an alternative model of political organization relevant to national integration in Indonesia.