Indonesia’s Language Diplomacy as a Strategy for Status-Seeking and International Recognition
Abstract
Conventional theories of language diplomacy assume a relatively straightforward sequence: influence comes first, language follows. States with powerful economies, globally consumed cultures, or strategic geopolitical positions generate international demand for their languages. Indonesia presents a puzzling exception. Over the last two decades, Indonesia has actively promoted Bahasa Indonesia through the Bahasa Indonesia for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) program. By 2024, BIPA had expanded to more than 500 institutions in 55 countries and recorded approximately 183,000 active learners. Despite this growth, Bahasa Indonesia has yet to emerge as a major language of international business, diplomacy, science, or global popular culture. Why, then, has Indonesia continued to invest in language diplomacy? This article argues that the significance of language diplomacy lies not only in its outcomes but also in what it reveals about how states imagine their position in the international system. Rather than viewing language diplomacy as a product of influence, the study conceptualizes it as a strategy through which states attempt to project identity, claim international visibility, and pursue symbolic status. The Indonesian case challenges a dominant assumption within public diplomacy scholarship: that language promotion follows power. Instead, it suggests that language promotion may also reflect a state’s aspiration for power, recognition, and global relevance.
References
Aqromi, N. L., Riska, S. Y., Bantug, E. T., & Febrindasari, C. (2025). Language Diplomacy Through BIPA: An Indonesian Language Training Program For NEUST Philippines Students. International Journal Of Community Service, 5(4), 458-465. https://doi.org/10.51601/ijcs.v5i4.930
Audrey, J., Sari, D., & Mubarak, K. Z. (2023). Indonesian language diplomacy in the United States of America through the Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA) program. Language Education and Culture Research, 3(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.22158/lecr.v3n2p1
Aydinli, E., & Aydinli, J. (2024). Exposing linguistic imperialism: Why global IR has to be multilingual. Review of International Studies, 50(6), 943–964. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210523000700
Aziz, A. (2024). Mendikbudristek catat ada 183 ribu pembelajar BIPA aktif. Detik Bali.
Azizah, S. N., Sukmawan, S., & Khasanah, I. (2022). Tradisi Sodoran Tengger sebagai alat diplomasi budaya Indonesia melalui pembelajaran BIPA. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 5(3), 619–630. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v5i3.441
Bell, E. C., & Kennan, M. A. (2022). The library as soft-power actor: A review. IFLA Journal, 48(4), 706–716. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211054113
Boughton, M. (2023). This is Ireland: Commemoration as a catalyst for a new nation brand. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 19, 535–550. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-023-00296-4
Chamalah, E. (2023). Diplomasi bahasa dan budaya Indonesia melalui program Cultura: Studi kasus program BIPA di Universitas Islam Sultan Agung. [Journal article].
Choi, H. K. (2024). A study on the interrelation between Korea’s national image and the Korean language learning period in Thailand (based on the learners in King Sejong Institute). Korean Language and Cultural Studies Journal.
Durrani, S. (2023). What happens when a country bleeds soft power? Conceptualising ‘Negative Watch’: Towards an epistemology for negative and adversarial place branding. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 19, 456–475. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-023-00302-9
Fathun, L. M., Nidatya, N., Lumumba, P., & Revidy, A. R. (2025). Indonesia’s diplomacy in establishing the Indonesian language as an official language at UNESCO. Hasanuddin Journal of International Affairs, 5(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.31947/hjirs.v5i2.43634
Fathun, L. M., Nidatya, N., Lumumba, P., Saepudin, & Revidy, A. R. (2025). Indonesia's diplomacy in establishing the Indonesian language as an official language of UNESCO. Hasanuddin Journal of International Affairs, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.31947/hjirs.v5i2.43634
Gu, J., & Deng, S. (2024). Rearticulating the promotion of Japanese language and culture from the perspective of “soft power”: Planning and effects. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1371271. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1371271
Hajdari, L., Krasniqi, J., Limani, B., Limani, E., et al. (2024). The role of international education on public diplomacy: The case of Kosovo International Summer Academy. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, 105. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02591-0
Huang, Z. A. (2022). A historical–discursive analytical method for studying the formulation of public diplomacy institutions. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 18, 204–215. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-021-00246-y
Jin, D. Y. (2024). The rise of digital platforms as a soft power apparatus in the New Korean Wave era. Communication and the Public, 9(2), 161–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/20570473241234204
Kardinal, G. T., & Purnama, C. (2024). Strategi diplomasi budaya Indonesia melalui Program Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing di Australia periode 2018–2022. Padjadjaran Journal of International Relations, 6(2), 288–302. https://doi.org/10.24198/padjir.v6i2.49274
Lawolo, E., Agustina, & Nasution, J. (2026). Entrepreneurship in the field of Indonesian language for foreign speakers through educational games and YouTube. JALC: Journal of Applied Linguistic and Studies of Cultural, 4(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.65787/jalc.v4i1.650
Li, S. (2023). China’s Confucius Institute and its European counterparts in Africa: A six-dimensional comparative study. Journal of International and Comparative Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/17454999221146385
Li, S.-Y. (2025). Problematising China’s soft power: Setbacks of Confucius Institutes and the decentralisation of its international language and culture promotion strategy. The Pacific Review, 38(3), 397–421. https://doi.org/10.1080/09512748.2024.2387614
Man, H., & Syanurdin. (2023). Pemanfaatan pengajaran BIPA menjadikan Bahasa Indonesia ‘go’ internasional. Lateralisasi, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.36085/lateralisasi.v11i02.6021
Manor, I., & Huang, Z. A. (2022). Digitalization of public diplomacy: Concepts, trends, and challenges. Communication and the Public, 7(4), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.1177/20570473221138401
Matosian, A. E. (2021). The key components of South Korea’s soft power: Challenges and trends. RUDN Journal of Political Science, 23(2), 279–286. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1438-2021-23-2-279-286
Mohib, A. A., & Carroll, C. (2024). Nation branding as a tool to attract foreign direct investments: A case study of Qatar. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 20, 363–377. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-024-00326-9
Putri, R. A., & Astuti, W. R. D. (2024). Upaya Indonesia Youth Foundation (IYF) dalam diplomasi publik Indonesia melalui Indonesian Language Learning Program tahun 2020–2023. Moestopo Journal of International Relations.
Raharja, C. S. (2023). Diplomasi budaya Indonesia melalui program BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing) di Laos tahun 2016–2022. Pena Wimaya, 3(2).
Repnikova, M. (2022). Rethinking China’s soft power: “Pragmatic enticement” of Confucius Institutes in Ethiopia. The China Quarterly, 250, 440–463. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741022000340
Sari, D. E., Huang, J., & Mulyati, Y. (2023). Perencanaan topik pembelajaran BIPA berdasarkan pada minat para penutur asing sebagai komponen strategi diplomasi. Literasi: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Bahasa, Sastra Indonesia dan Daerah, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.23969/literasi.v13i1.6787
Sevin, E. (2024). Unpacking soft power for cities: A theoretical approach. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 21, 106–115. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-024-00342-9
Shienlia, M. (2025). Teaching Indonesian for Foreign Speakers in the European Region. The Journal of Academic Science, 2(4), 1176-1182.
Sugih, H. G. P., Permadi, A., & Elistania. (2025). Upaya Pemerintah Indonesia meningkatkan nation branding di Turki melalui Program Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing. Sospol, 11(3), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.22219/jurnalsospol.v11i3.34526
Sun, S.-C. (2023). Confucius Institutes: China’s cultural soft power strategy. Journal of Culture and Values in Education, 6(1), 52–68. https://doi.org/10.46303/jcve.2023.4
Wendt, A. (1999). Social theory of international politics. Cambridge University Press.
Wulandari, A. E., & Konety, N. (2024). Diplomasi budaya Indonesia terhadap Vietnam melalui Program Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA). Padjadjaran Journal of International Relations, 6(2), 241–257.
Wüsta, A., & Nicolaï, K. (2022). Cultural diplomacy and the reconfiguration of soft power: Evidence from Morocco. Mediterranean Politics, 28(4), 554–579. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629395.2022.2033513
Zhou, Y. (2021). Confucius Institute in the Sino-Thai relations: A display of China’s soft power. Asian Journal of Social Science, 49(4), 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajss.2021.09.009
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal La Sociale
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
