Research on trade and development has long been a high priority for ANU Indonesia Project staff and PhD students. This includes studies on trade policy, the political economy of protection, export performance, Indonesia in the regional and global economy, and the structure and performance of the private sector.  Subtopic themes include: 

• Trade, poverty, and inequality 
• Economic integration 
• Political economy of trade policy 
• Trade liberalisation and its socio-economic impacts 
• Export behaviour and firm productivity 
• Private sector development 

The Indonesian economy remains dependent on agriculture, resources and the environment, which provide a livelihood for many Indonesians. Research on this theme looks at economic, political and social dimensions of Indonesia’s agricultural expansion, resource extraction, and environmental impacts and policies. Subtopic themes include: 

• Development and the environment 
• Energy, air pollution and climate change 
• Technological progress and agricultural development 
• Small island economies 
• Economics of natural disasters 

This area covers critical issues regarding democratic governance and politics in contemporary Indonesia. Major research projects focus on critical institutions, such as the presidency, parties and parliaments. Others focus on underlying social dynamics, such as religion and ethnicity, and their interaction with the political sphere. Subtopic themes include: 

• Political party financing and reform 
• Decentralisation 
• Political clientelism, patronage politics and vote-buying 
• The politics of Islam in democratic Indonesia 
• Media and politics 

The topic aims to investigate the challenges and risks faced by Indonesian households in their efforts to improve their welfare, using the analytical lens and tools that pay attention to gender equality, disability inclusion, and well-being of the disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Subtopic themes include: 

• Health equity and financial protection 
• Poverty and labour markets  
• Public spending in health and education 
• Welfare impacts of community-driven development programs 

In the Indonesia Project, gender equality, women's empowerment, and social inclusion refer to better economic and social policy outcomes through understanding the barriers in institutions, systems and entrenched gender norms. Subtopics include:

• Barriers to women’s economic empowerment 
• Female migrant workers 
• Inequality in public spending
• Gender-sensitive analysis of programs in Indonesia