Kategori: English

Pop Islam in Indonesia

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The popularity of the Indonesian film Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of Love) is an illustration of what Pop Islam may look like. This was one of the first Indonesian films to feature a female protagonist who is nearly fully veiled. Many considered it as one of the most Islamic films. A polygamous marriage that features in the film heightened the already intense controversy on the new campaigns for polygamy.

Heryanto, Ariel (2010) “Pop Islam in Indonesia”, Asia Current, February 2010,
http://asaa.asn.au/asian-currents-html-archives/2010/asian-currents-10-02.html

keywords: Asia Current, Ayat-ayat Cinta, hybrid, intra-Asia, Pop Islam

Islamist parties try to be less Islamist

2008_06_07_TJP Islamist parties try to be less Islamist-c

“Cognizant of its credential deficit in both Islamic politics and democracy, successive governments have felt compelled to demonstrate sympathetic gesture to the Muslim communities, sometimes stronger than actually believed.

With abundant Islam credentials in hand, never at any time did Wahid need to prove that he was pro-Islam. So much so that he could afford to demonstrate the opposite. Instead of calling for jihad against the enemies of Islam, Wahid did almost the extreme opposite.”

Heryanto, Ariel (2008) “Islamist parties try to be less Islamist”, The Jakarta Post, 07/06/2008.

See also: “When governments try to look more Islamic”

keywords: Gus Dur, Islamization, Jakarta Post, PKS, political parties, UMNO

When governments try to look more Islamic

2008_06_06_TJP When governments try to look more Islamic-c

“The Indonesian Constitution stipulates freedom of expression, but to date such freedom can only take refuge on the Internet.

Today, the Internet is the only public space where hundreds of thousands of Indonesians can and have actually declared themselves to be religiously ‘liberal’, ‘atheist’ or ‘agnostic’ in their profiles on cyber social networking sites such as Facebook.”

Heryanto, Ariel (2008) “When governments try to look more Islamic”, The Jakarta Post, 06/06/2008.

See also “Islamist parties try to be less Islamist”

keywords: government, ICMI, Indonesia, Islam, Jakarta Post, Soeharto

A Tale of Two Crises

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Examining problems that confront Indonesia today, respected commentators speak of militarism, democratization, human rights, corruption, economic liberalization, employment, management of religious and ethnic diversity, women’s participation, and globalization.

In the 1950s most men (and a few women) of letters were usually active in political parties. Many took positions in the government. . . Politicians of that period not only took a great interest in culture and arts, many (including the first president and members of his state cabinet) produced intellectual analyses or artistic works at some time during their career development.

Heryanto, Ariel (2004) “A Tale of Two Crises”, Latitudes, 43 (Aug): 52-55.

keywords: culture, economic crisis, Latitudes, post-authoritarian, post-colonial

Remembering and Dismembering Indonesia

2001_02_Vol1_LATITUDES Remembering and Dismembering Indonesia-c

“Today this inability to recognize the constructedness of social identities is responsible, to a considerable extent, for the widespread violence that threatens to dismember the nation.”

Heryanto, Ariel (2001) “Remembering and Dismembering Indonesia”, Latitudes, 1 (Feb): 10-15.

keywords: construct, ethnicity, identity politics, Latitudes, nationality, New Order, violence