Ratih Kumala’s Novel Tabula Rasa and the Promotion of Inclusiveness in Indonesia

Through her novel Tabula rasa, Ratih Kumala has made attempts to promote inclusiveness in Indonesia, where inclusiveness is defined with reference to pluralism and equality. An inclusive society is thus a society where all its members—despite their genders, ethnicities, religions, languages, sexual orientations, social classes, etc.—are treated equally, meaning that they have equal access to power, politics, economy, education, the law, health care, and other needs. Unfortunately, Indonesia has not thus far become inclusive, for there are women, children, and other minority groups who experience discriminations, abuses, and violence. Indonesia is patriarchal and exclusive. This is what Ratih Kumala opposes in the novel, since what she longs for is an inclusive Indonesian society, where women, children, and the minority are equal to men and the majority.