Language documentation and the multi-dimensionality of capacity building: Framing research diversity in an Indonesian ethnoecological context

Abstract

Introduction This chapter discusses language documentation and capacity building in Indonesia, focusing on challenges and opportunities offered by Indonesia’s rich resources in ethnolinguistic research. First, I contextualise the discussion by providing some background on Indonesia’s ethnolinguistic diversity. Then, I examine language documentation and linguistic studies in Indonesia during the past two centuries, broadly classifying them into classic and modern documentation research. Classic research covers studies undertaken in the early to mid-19th to 20th centuries in Indonesia, primarily by foreign missionaries, while modern language documentation research, including capacity building activities, covers three periods in Indonesia: the late 20th century, early 21st century (pre-COVID-19), and since 2020 (including the COVID-19 period). Finally, based on my personal experiences, I reflect on the research opportunities in Indonesia and the challenges of collaborative research in a local community context. I also highlight the opportunities and challenges of enhancing local capacity building and engagement activities, specifically in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term local impact on linguistic research in Indonesia.