The people of Alor and their alliances in Eastern Indonesia: a study in political sociology

Alor is a unique community in Indonesia. While most ethnic groups in the nation are hierarchical in social structure and modes of social interaction, the Alorese see their community as more egalitarian. This ethic of egalitarianism is a product of how clans are organized, and how the division of status and power roles between them are conceptualized. The ideology of egalitarianism is connected to the way in which the Alorese have established alliances with many other ethnic groups in Eastern Indonesia. Together their principles of social organization and alliance provide an alternative model of political organization relevant to national integration in Indonesia.