Democracy and Islam in Indonesia (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780231161916)

Indonesia's military government collapsed in 1998, igniting fears that economic, religious, and political conflicts would complicate any democratic transition. Yet in every year since 2006, the world's most populous Muslim country has received high marks from international democracy-ranking organizations. In this volume, political scientists, religious scholars, legal theorists, and anthropologists examine the theory and practice of Indonesia's democratic transition and its ability to serve as a model for other Muslim countries. They compare the Indonesian example with similar scenarios in Chile, Spain, India, and Tunisia, as well as with the failed transitions of Yugoslavia, Egypt, and Iran. Essays explore the relationship between religion and politics and the ways in which Muslims became supportive of democracy even before change occurred, and they describe how innovative policies prevented dissident military groups, violent religious activists, and secessionists from disrupting Indonesia's democratic evolution. The collection concludes with a discussion of Indonesia's emerging "legal pluralism" and of which of its forms are rights-eroding and rights-protecting.

Author: Mirjam Künkler
ISBN-10: 0231161913
ISBN-13: 9780231161916
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Language: English
Published: 08/27/2013
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 06/01/2014