Heather Sutherland's comprehensive history of South Sulawesi reveals how Indonesia's most politically distinctive region has navigated four centuries of dramatic change while maintaining remarkably consistent patterns of governance. From the Dutch conquest of Makassar in 1669 through Indonesia's ongoing democratic experiment, this Indonesian province has embodied a particular form of politics—intensely personal, transactional, and resistant to outside control.

1. Makassar (Indonesia) - Politics and government - History. 2. Sulawesi Selatan (Indonesia) - Politics and government - History.