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Biography
Prof. Burhanuddin Muhtadi, M.A., Ph.D. is an Indonesian political scientist whose work connects academic research, teaching, and the interpretation of public opinion.
Born in Rembang, Central Java, on 15 December 1977, he became interested in writing while still at primary school. After secondary education in Rembang and Surakarta, he moved to Jakarta in 1996 to study at IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah, now UIN.
His first media article, “Keterbukaan Pasca Insiden 27 Juli”, was published by Harian Terbit. Between 1996 and 2004, hundreds of his Indonesian- and English-language articles appeared in local and national media. That writing practice developed into research on elections, voting behaviour, vote buying, democracy, public opinion, political Islam, polarisation, and misinformation.
His doctoral research at the Australian National University examined how partisan and personal networks shape vote buying. The dissertation became Vote Buying in Indonesia: The Mechanics of Electoral Bribery, later published in Indonesian as Kuasa Uang: Politik Uang dalam Pemilu Pasca-Orde Baru.
Current roles
Current roles
Appointed Full Professor of Political Science
FISIP UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
The ministerial appointment was dated 25 August 2023.Visiting Senior Research Fellow
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Indonesia Studies Programme
Founder and Executive Director
Indikator Politik Indonesia
Political Science lecturer
FISIP UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
Research areas
Research areas
- Indonesian elections
- Voting behavior
- Vote buying & clientelism
- Democracy & democratic decline
- Public opinion
- Political Islam
- Polarization
- Misinformation
Education
Education
- 2018
Ph.D. in Political Science
Australian National University
Dissertation: “Buying Votes in Indonesia: Partisans, Personal Networks and Winning Margins.” - 2009
M.A. in Asian Studies, specialising in Political Science
Australian National University
Thesis: “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: A Social Movement Theory Approach of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Its Islamist Transnational Framing.” - 2002
B.A. in Theology, Quranic Exegesis
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
Undergraduate thesis: “Farid Esack: Raison D’etre Hermeneutika Pembebasan Al-Qur’an.” - 1996
Special Programme State Islamic Senior High School
Surakarta
- 1993
MTs Muallimin/at NU
Rembang
- 1990
SDN Kutoharjo 1
Rembang
Career & organisations
Career & organisations
This record retains the early experience documented by Wikipedia and places it alongside current appointments from the March 2026 CV and official institutional sources.
- 2023
Appointed Full Professor of Political Science
FISIP UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
The ministerial appointment was dated 25 August 2023. - 2021—present
Visiting Senior Research Fellow
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Indonesia Studies Programme
- 2013—present
Founder and Executive Director
Indikator Politik Indonesia
- 2010—present
Political Science lecturer
FISIP UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
- Earlier role
Postgraduate lecturer at Universitas Paramadina, senior researcher at LSI, and CENSIS researcher
These roles are recorded in the Wikipedia biographical profile. - 2004—2005
Member, National Consortium of People’s Voter Education Network (JPPR)
- 2004
Voter education and public-opinion research programmes
Managed programmes involving UNDP, The Asia Foundation, JIL, and JICA, and coordinated research on Muslim perceptions of United States foreign policy. - 2003—2006
LSI regional coordinator and researcher; INCIS researcher
- 2003—2004
Editor-in-Chief, Bulletin of Islam and Good Governance
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
- From 2001
Editor at Jaringan Islam Liberal
- 2000—2002
Alliance of Indonesian Formal Student Organisations
- 2000—2001
Student Executive President, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
- 1999—2000
Head of Research and Intellectual Development, UIN Jakarta Student Executive
- 1998—1999
Forum Mahasiswa Ciputat (FORMACI)
- 1996—2002
Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam activist
- 1994—1995
Majelis Pengembangan Tilawatil Qur’an
Surakarta
Honours & fellowships
Honours & fellowships
- 2020
Honourable Mention, ASAA Early Career Book Prize
For Vote Buying in Indonesia: The Mechanics of Electoral Bribery. A March 2026 CV update not yet included on Wikipedia. - 2019
Indonesian Platinum and Best Corporate Award
The Most Trusted Survey Institution Company of the Year category. - 2018
Young Southeast Asia Fellow Award
Awarded by the Southeast Asia Research Group (SEAREG). - 2016
The 11th Singapore Graduate Forum on Southeast Asian Studies
Asian Research Scholars programme, National University of Singapore. - 2016
Indonesia–Singapore Young Leaders Award
S Rajaratnam Endowment, RSIS, and the RSIS Indonesia Programme. - 2013
Australia Awards Scholarship
Scholarship for doctoral study at the Australian National University. - 2010
Charta Politika Award
Best Political Analyst. - 2009
Best Presidential Election Media Communicator
Observer category, awarded by Strategy Public Relations. - 2008
Australian Development Scholarship
Scholarship for master’s study at the Australian National University. - 2008
The Asia Foundation Young Leaders Fellowship Grant
Postgraduate study support for a young intellectual.
Recent work
Recent work
Important additions beyond Wikipedia’s publication range, based on the March 2026 CV.
- 2026
The 2024 Indonesian Elections and the Future of Indonesian Politics
With Hui Yew-Foong · ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute · forthcoming
- 2025
Disinformation and Election Propaganda: Impact on Voter Perceptions and Behaviours in Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election
With Maria Monica Wihardja and Lee Sue-Ann · ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
- 2023
The Indonesia National Survey Project 2022
With Hui Yew-Foong and Siwage Dharma Negara · ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
- 2023
Votes for Sale: Clientelism, Democratic Deficit, and Institutions
Inaugural address as Professor of Political Science, UIN Jakarta
- 2022
The Indonesian Military Enjoys Strong Public Trust and Support
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Wikipedia · 2002—2020
Work listed on Wikipedia
This list preserves the books, journal articles, and book chapters named on the Wikipedia page. The Publications index carries a more current bibliographic record.
Books
09- 2020
Kuasa Uang: Politik Uang dalam Pemilu Pasca-Orde Baru. Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia.
- 2019
Vote Buying in Indonesia: The Mechanics of Electoral Bribery. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
- 2019
Populisme, Politik Identitas dan Dinamika Elektoral. Malang: Intrans Publishing.
- 2013
Perang Bintang 2014: Konstelasi dan Prediksi Pemilu dan Pilpres. Jakarta: Noura Books.
- 2012
Dilema PKS: Suara dan Syariah. Jakarta: Penerbit Gramedia.
- 2005
Defisit Pelayanan Publik: Survei Persepsi Masyarakat terhadap Pelayanan Publik. Jakarta: INCIS-Partnership Kemitraan.
- 2004
Mencari Akar Kultural Civil Society di Indonesia. Jakarta: INCIS-CSSP USAID.
- 2003
Civil Society dan Demokrasi: Survey tentang Partisipasi Sosial-Politik Warga Jakarta. Jakarta: INCIS-CSSP USAID.
- 2003
Syariat Islam: Pandangan Muslim Liberal. Jakarta: JIL-The Asia Foundation.
Journal articles
13- 2020
With Eve Warburton, “Inequality and Democratic Support in Indonesia.” Pacific Affairs 93(1), 31–58.
- 2020
With Diego Fossati, Edward Aspinall, and Eve Warburton, “Ideological Representation in Clientelistic Democracies: The Indonesian Case.” Electoral Studies 63.
- 2019
“Politik Uang and New Normal dalam Pemilu Paska-Orde Baru.” Jurnal Antikorupsi INTEGRITAS 5(1), 55–74.
- 2019
With Edward Aspinall, Diego Fossati, and Eve Warburton, “Elites, Masses and Democratic Decline in Indonesia.” Democratization.
- 2018
With Marcus Mietzner, “Explaining the 2016 Islamist Mobilisation in Indonesia: Religious Intolerance, Militant Groups and the Politics of Accommodation.” Asian Studies Review 42(3), 479–497.
- 2018
“Politik Identitas and Mitos Pemilih Rasional.” Jurnal MAARIF 13(2), 68–86.
- 2018
With Marcus Mietzner and Rizka Halida, “Entrepreneurs of Grievance: Drivers and Effects of Indonesia’s Islamist Mobilization.” Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 174(2–3).
- 2015
“Jokowi’s First Year: A Weak President Caught between Reform and Oligarchic Politics.” Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies 51(3), 349–368.
- 2013
“Politik Uang and Dinamika Elektoral di Indonesia: Sebuah Kajian Awal Interaksi antara Party ID and Patron-Klien.” Jurnal Penelitian Politik 10(1), 41–57.
- 2009
“The Quest for Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia.” Asian Journal of Social Science 37(4), 623–645.
- 2009
“Islamism and Women in Politics: Analysing Female Political Participation and Representation of Indonesia’s Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).” Jurnal Substansia 1(1).
- 2007
“The Conspiracy of Jews: The Quest for Anti-Semitism in Media Dakwah.” Graduate Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies 5(2), 53–76.
- 2007
“Yudhoyono and Kalla: Two Distinctive Styles of Policy-Making in the Case of Fuel Subsidy Reduction in Indonesia.” Asian Journal of Social Policy 3(2), 1–10.
Book chapters
11- 2020
“Electoral Losers, Democratic Support and Authoritarian Nostalgia,” in Democracy in Indonesia: From Stagnation to Regression, edited by Eve Warburton and Thomas Power. ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.
- 2020
“Populisme, Polarisasi, and Normalitas Baru dalam Politik Elektoral Kita,” in Bergerak, Bergerak, Berdampak by Najwa Shihab dkk. Narasi TV.
- 2020
With Rizka Halida, “Muslim Identity and Deprivation: Socio-Psychological Sources of Support for Islamist Radical Groups in Indonesia,” in Islamic Conservatism in Indonesia. Routledge.
- 2019
With Marcus Mietzner, “The Mobilization of Intolerance and its Trajectories: Indonesian Muslims’ Views of Religious Minorities and Ethnic Chinese,” in Contentious Belonging. ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, 155–174.
- 2019
“Violent Extremism dalam Sudut Pandang Studi Agama,” in Asking Sensitive Questions, edited by Philips J. Vermonte and Arya Fernandes. CSIS, 21–30.
- 2018
“Komoditas Demokrasi: Efek Sistem Pemilu terhadap Maraknya Jual Beli Suara,” in Pembiayaan Pemilu di Indonesia, edited by Mada Sukmajati and Aditya Perdana. Bawaslu, 95–118.
- 2015
With Adam Kamil, “Divided Government: Tantangan Pemerintahan Jokowi,” in Proyeksi Ekonomi Indonesia 2015. INDEF.
- 2012
“Resep Machiavelli and Defisit Kepemimpinan Transformatif,” in Memperbaiki Mutu Demokrasi di Indonesia: Sebuah Perdebatan. Paramadina, 141–150.
- 2008
“Ke Cak Nur, Saya Mengaji,” in All You Need is Love: Cak Nur di Mata Kaum Muda. Paramadina.
- 2007
“The 1998 Student Uprising in Indonesia: A Social Movement Theory Approach,” in Enlightenment from Within. Minaret.
- 2002
“Tantangan Pluralisme Keagamaan and Sistem Pendidikan Agama,” in Pendidikan Memang Multikultural: Beberapa Gagasan. Yayasan SET.
Selected academic forums
Selected academic forums
Recent invited talks that help show the international reach of his academic work.
- 2025
Between Faith and Freedom: Muslims’ Attitudes and the Decline of Democracy in Indonesia
Universität Münster, Germany
- 2024
The State of Indonesian Democracy
Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University, United States
- 2021
Indonesia Forum 2021: National Politics and the Future of Decentralization
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
Sources & editorial note
Sources & editorial note
This profile summarises rather than copies Indonesian Wikipedia. Current appointments, higher education, recent work, and an additional honour were checked against the March 2026 CV and official institutional pages.
Time-sensitive claims were reviewed on 23 July 2026. Historical roles retain their source attribution and are not automatically presented as active appointments.