Education Disparities in Indonesia as Seen in Feature Films: An Inter-Island Relations Analysis

Indonesia was built based on a set of core principles to show that the nation is a united entity. However, reality shows inequality in social life. One of them is the education disparity that can be seen in the unqualified teachers, limited access to educational sources, and inadequate infrastructure. Analysing four films, Sokola Rimba , Tanah Surga Katanya , Jembatan Pensil , and Di Timur Matahari , this study argues that despite unifying national principles, significant asymmetries persist between Java, the political centre, and peripheral islands. Utilising David Chandler and Jonathan Pugh’s variables of inter-island relations—resilience, patchworks, correlation, and storiation—the analysis demonstrates that educational challenges are intrinsically interwoven with the dynamics in the islands’ lives, invariably involve complex entanglements between human and non-human actors, and the relationship between islands. The findings reveal that education functions dually: as a potential solution for community empowerment, and as a direct consequence of relational disparities.