Techno-Nationalism and the Indonesian Scientific Diaspora in the United States

This article reimagines techno-nationalism by moving beyond its conventional state-centred framing to highlight the cultural practices of individuals, particularly the Indonesian scientific diaspora. Rather than treating technology merely as a communication tool, the study argues that technology possesses agency, shaping how diasporic scientists construct and sustain national identity across borders. By examining the everyday practices of the Indonesian scientific diaspora in the United States, the article shows how techno-nationalism can emerge from below, challenging the assumption that it is exclusively a state-driven project. These transnational engagements reveal a hybrid form of diaspora techno-nationalism in which global expertise, digital networks and scientific mobility become means of expressing belonging to Indonesia, contesting techno-globalist narratives and state-centric understandings of nationhood.