Suchergebnisse

The events of September 11 left an indelible mark on the world. It made transnational terrorism a reality for states and societies alike. It raised new questions and resurfaced old ones regarding international security and state-to-state relations. September 11 also left a lasting impact on Muslim communities around the world including in Southeast Asia. Muslims were faced with renewed questions about their religion and of their relationship to the state. Muslim politics became increasingly a horizontal contestation of meanings and representations as well as a vertical negotiation with the secular state. This article looks at the trajectory of Muslim politics in Southeast Asia after the events of 9/11. It argues that Muslim politics in Southeast Asia had become more complex and dense prior to September 11 2001. However, 9/11 has complicated this process by directing state policies in a singular direction. It suggests that an increasingly centralized and coercive approach to Muslim politics will, in fact, undermine the very objective of dampening international Islamic terrorism. (Pac Rev/DÜI)

When it was formed in September 1999, the middle axis coalition was not seen as a serious political player. However, within a month, the political constellation had shifted in favour of this coalition emerging as a major player in deciding the fate of the next Indonesian government. This article addresses the question of whether there is an emerging Islamic faction with strength, unity and cohesion to affect Indonesia's political transition. It contends that pre-existing tensions and cleavages within Indonesia's Muslim community make such an alliance unlikely beyond the immediate consensus of blocking a Megawati predicency. In the final analysis, this article suggests that the contribution of Muslim groups to a democratisation process in Indonesia remains minimal. (AS J Pol Sc/DÜI)

This book is the first comprehensive, systematic investigation of the connection between civil society and political change in Asia—change toward open, participatory, and accountable politics. Its findings suggest that the link between a vibrant civil society and democracy is indeterminate: certain types of civil society organizations support democracy, but others have the potential to undermine it. Further, the study argues that while civil society is a key factor in political change, democratic transition and consolidation hinge on the development of effective political parties, legislatures, and state institutions. Rooted in a common definition of civil society, a strong analytical framework, and rich empirical material, the analyses and conclusions of the book will have a lasting impact on the understanding of civil society and its relation to democracy in Asia and around the world