Islam, Democracy and Pluralism: The Indonesian Experience

This seminar is arranged by The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.

Time: Tuesday 5 December 2006, at 14.15 – 16.00  
Venue: Auditorium 2, Georg Sverdrups hus (the main library of the University of Oslo), Moltke Moes vei 39, Blindern Campus, Oslo

The relations between Islam, democracy and pluralism remain an interesting subject of discussion among scholars and political practitioners around the globe. Some argue that Islam is not compatible with democracy and pluralism. However, if one looks at the doctrinal level, it is clear that Islam provides a strong basis for democracy and pluralism. As the largest Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia presents a good case of the compatibility between Islam and democracy. The seminar will explore this theme by taking the Indonesian experience in democracy as a case in point.

The theme will be presented by Professor Azyumardi Azra, Rector at the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah in Jakarta, and will be followed by an open discussion. Prof. Azra is an internationally recognised scholar and has lectured at numerous universities and conferences around the world. He is an honorary professor at Melbourne University (2004-09) and a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Pakistan (2004-2009). He is also editor-in-chief of the Indonesian Journal of Studia Islamika, and member of board editors of the Journal of Quranic Studies, SOAS London.

Prof. Azra has presented papers in numerous national and international seminars and workshops, and has written nearly 20 books.
The latest is Indonesia, Islam and Democracy: Dynamics in a Global Context (2006).
Others include Contemporary Islamic Historiography: Discourse, Actuality and Historical Actors
Reposition of Relations between Religion and the State
Tension of Islamic Politics; Reformist Islam
Renaissance of Islam in Southeast Asia
Substantive Islam
Islam in the Archipelago: Global and Local Networks

Please register to Louise Tiwon at sespriatindonesia-oslo.no, replacing "at" with "@"
or tel 22 12 51 40,
or to Christina Kloster at christina.klosteratnchr.uio.no, replacing "at" with "@"