The Conservative Turn in Indonesian Islam

A seminar by The Indonesia Programme at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights

Venue: NCHR, Universitetsgt. 22-24, in the seminar room on 4th floor.
Time: Friday October 6, 10:00 – 13:00
The seminar is open for all and there is no entrance fee. There will be light serving. Participants are asked to register to the Indonesia Programme Coordinator, Christina Kloster, at christina.klosteratnchr.uio.no, replacing "at" with an "@", or by telephone 22 84 20 30, within September 29.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, and comprises an inherent and historically manifested religious and ethnic diversity. Scholars have for long characterised Indonesian Muslims as largely tolerant and moderate in their approach to religion, and traditional forms of belief are often combined with their Islamic endeavour. During the last decade, however, the public discourses on both the political and the religious levels have been increasingly dominated by conservative Islamic voices. Islamist organisations demand the introduction of Islamic laws; churches are burnt and places of entertainment are attacked by militant, conservative groups. Promoters of a more liberal Islam have been blamed for adding fuel to the fire for the fundamentalists, as their discourse finds resonance in Western moral rhetoric. What are the characteristics and the causes of this development, and what are the prospects ahead for tolerant Islam in Indonesia?

The lead speakers are both experts on Indonesian religions and society, and have each published numerous works on Islam in Indonesia:

Dr. Martin van Bruinessen, Utrecht University: Chair of ISIM (International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World). Bruinessen will address the concerns of the Islamic mass organisations in Indonesia; the issue of Shari’ah and the role of the Council of Islamic Scholars (MUI).

Dr. Nelly van Doorn-Harder, Valparaiso University, Indiana: Associate Professor of Islam and World Religions. Doorn-Harder will discuss how Indonesian women negotiate the rules of Shari'ah, with a particular emphasis on the organisation Muhammadiyah.