Greg Fealy – författare

In an era, when Islam ostensibly lies at the heart of a volatile nexus of a global campaign of/war on terrorism, simplistic notions and dangerous misunderstandings about the cultures and nature of Southeast Asian Islam, in all its variants, are used to inform and justify policies. This collection of contemporary primary source material is designed to promote a deeper understanding of Muslim attitudes to major political, legal, religious and social issues in Southeast Asia through quotations from documents on Islamic law; state and governance; jihad; society, women and the family; personal expressions of faith; and sources of external influence. The sourcebook looks not only at the ideological and doctrinal content, but also at the motivations and psychology underlying different interpretations and viewpoints. The book will enable government officials, academics, security analysts, journalists and general readers to understand the ideologies, motivations, language and objectives of the main Muslim groups in Southeast Asia.

As the forces of globalisation and modernisation buffet Islam and other world religions, Indonesia's 200 million Muslims are expressing their faith in ever more complex ways. Celebrity television preachers, internet fatwa services, mass religious rallies in soccer stadiums, glossy jihadist magazines, Islamic medical treatments, alms giving via mobile phone and electronic sharia banking services are just some of the manifestations of a more consumer-oriented approach to Islam which interact with and sometimes replace other, more traditional expressions of the faith.This book examines some of the myriad ways in which Islam is being expressed in contemporary Indonesian life and politics. Authored by leading authorities on Indonesian Islam, it gives fascinating insights into such topics as the marketisation of Islam, contemporary pilgrimage, the rise of mass preachers, gender and Islamic politics, online fatwa, current trends among Islamist vigilante and criminal groups, and recent developments in Islamic banking and microfinance.

Contention has surrounded the status of minorities throughout Indonesian history. Two broad polarities are evident: One inclusive of minorities, regarding them as part of the nation’s rich complexity and a manifestation of its ‘Unity in Diversity’ mottoThe other is exclusive, viewing with suspicion or disdain those communities or groups that differ from the perceived majority. State and community attitudes towards minorities have fluctuated over time. Some periods have been notable for the acceptance of minorities and protection of their rights, while others have been marked by anti-minority discrimination, marginalisation and sometimes violence. This book explores the complex historical and contemporary dimensions of Indonesia’s religious, ethnic, LGBT and disability minorities from a range of perspectives, including historical, legal, political, cultural, discursive and social. It addresses fundamental questions about Indonesia’s tolerance and acceptance of difference, and examines the extent to which diversity is embraced or suppressed.