Democratization Intensifies Gender & Religious Discrimination in Indonesia's Civil Service

Indonesia's transition to democracy in the late 1990s shifted promotion patterns within its civil service. Rather than reducing bias, this period saw increased penalties for female and religious minority bureaucrats—especially those under conservative Muslim parties or in Aceh province.

## Data & Methods

Leveraging Indonesian administrative data covering over four million career histories, researchers exploited the exogenous timing of democratization alongside staggered local elections to isolate its effects on promotion discrimination.

## Key Findings

Discrimination against women and specific religious minorities spiked post-democratization. The penalties were significantly higher when:

• Departments under conservative Muslim party leadership occurred
• Local Muslim vote shares or populations increased
• Civil servants served in Aceh province

## Why It Matters

This research reveals how democratic transitions can paradoxically worsen entrenched forms of discrimination within bureaucratic institutions, challenging assumptions about democratization improving governance quality.