[Recording] States Against Nations: Meritocracy, Patronage, and the Challenges of Bureaucratic Selection

Recorded on October 16th, 2025

Nicholas Kuipers discusses his new book, States Against Nations (Cambridge University Press, 2025), specifically how Indonesia's civil service examination is a method of bureaucratic selection. Despite its meritocratic measures, Kuipers asserts that these exams can reinforce existing inequalities within society. Drawing on large-scale surveys, experiments, and archival documents, States Against Nations provides a thought-provoking perspective on the challenges of bureaucratic recruitment and unearths the tension between state- and nation-building goals.

The discussion was moderated by NYSEAN co-founder John Gershman, and the event was organized and hosted by NYSEAN.