M Is for Movement: Innosanto Nagara’s Political Children’s Text as a Space for Critical Consciousness

Abstract:The reform movement that ended the thirty-two-year dictatorship in Indonesia is arguably one of the most documented and studied in contemporary Indonesian studies. However, discussions about this historical event for children and young people remain scarce. Social and political issues are rarely represented in Indonesian children’s literature, either. Against this context, Innosanto Nagara’s M Is for Movement (2019) distinguishes itself as an illustrated children’s book depicting childhood and youth under the social turmoil leading up to the reform movement. This article seeks to examine the text with critical content analysis through the frameworks proposed by children’s literature scholars Kathy G. Short and Clémentine Beauvais on analyzing politically engaged texts. From the text’s presentation of collective power and the critical role of children in bringing about transformation, the article argues for Nagara’s advocation for political awareness and active participation among children and young people.