U6653: ISLAM, DEMOCRACY, AND FOREIGN POLICY IN INDONESIA
Rizal Sukma,
Day/Time: Monday, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Room: 901 International Affairs
1.5 credit course, 7 sessions
A. Description
Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world which, unlike most Muslim
nations, has embraced democracy. However, little is understood about the complex
relationship between Islam and the process of democratisation in the country
since 1998, and how that affects its relations with the outside world,
especially the West. This course seeks to explore the nature of Islam and
politics in Indonesia; the role of Islamic forces in bringing about and
sustaining the democratisation process in Indonesia since 1998; challenges to
democratisation posed by radical Islam and terrorism; and the extent to which
Islam has influenced the conduct of Indonesia’s foreign policy.
B. Course Calendar
Session I: March 26
Islam and State Identity in Indonesia
Despite its nature as the largest Muslim country in the world, the identity of
the Indonesian state has never been defined in terms of Islam. In fact,
Indonesia defines its identity as neither secular nor theocratic; an identity
which continues to create tension within the polity. To set the broader context
for understanding of the relationship between Islam and democratisation in
Indonesia, this session discusses the process of state identity-building in
Indonesia during the early period of state-formation (1945-1957).
Reading Materials:
1) Douglas E. Ramage, Politics in Indonesia: Democracy, Islam and the Ideology
of Tolerance (London: Routledge, 1995), Chapter….
2) Hefner, Robert, Civil Islam: Muslims and Democratization in Indonesia
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000).
3) Rizal Sukma, Islam in Indonesian Foreign Policy (London: Routledge, 2003),
Chapter 2.
Session II: March 28
Islam and Politics in Indonesia:
The Marginalisation of Political Islam (1957-1998)
Since 1957, when the democratic parliamentary system ended, Islam had never been
allowed to play a significant political role. In fact, the state viewed Islam
–especially its political manifestation—with a degree of suspicion. During the
New Order government (1966-1998), the marginalisation of political Islam
continued. Nevertheless, Islam managed to preserve its social influence within
the society. This session examines how Islamic organisations – especially
Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama—managed to maintain their existence within an
authoritarian state hostile to Islamic political expressions.
Reading Materials:
1) Bahtiar Effendy, Islam and the State (Singapore: ISEAS, 2005), Chapter…
2) Douglas E. Ramage, Politics in Indonesia: Democracy, Islam and the Ideology
of Tolerance (London: Routledge, 1995), Chapter….
3) Aspinall, Edward Thomas, Political Opposition and the Transition from
Authoritarian Rule: The Case of Indonesia. (Stanford University Press, 2003).
Session III: April 2
Islam, Politics, and Democratisation Since 1998
By early 1990s, impeding changes in the relationship between the state and Islam
began to appear. The rise of a sizeable Muslim middle class in Indonesia, which
demanded greater political space, began to affect politics in the country. By
May 1998, the collapse of the authoritarian regime paved the way for the
democratisation process. This session examines the role of Islamic forces and
Muslim leaders in that process.
Reading materials:
1) Robert Hefner, Civil Islam: Muslims and Domocratization in Indonesia
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000)
2) Marcus Mietzner, “From Suharto to Habibie: The Indonesian Armed Forces and
Political Islam during the Transition,” in Geoff Forrester, ed., Post-Suharto
Indonesia: Renewal or Chaos? (Singapore: ISEAS, 1999)
3) Mitsuo Nakamura, Islam and Democracy in Indonesia: Observations on the 2004
General and Presidential Elections, Occasional Publication No. 5, Harvard Law
School, December 2005
4) Michael Vatikiotis, Indonesian Politics Under Suharto: The Rise and Fall of
the New Order (London: Routledge, 1998), Chapter….
Session IV: April 4
Islam and Democracy: Views of Indonesian Muslims
Democratisation in Indonesia could not have been sustained without strong
support from Islamic forces. In this regards, the perceptions, views and
attitudes of prominent Muslim leaders and intellectuals towards democracy serve
as a significant factor. This session explores the perceptions and views of key
Indonesia’s Muslim leaders and intellectuals towards democracy. The views of
Nurcholis Madjid, Amien Rais, and Abdurrahman Wahid will be given special
emphasis in understanding democracy as envisaged by Indonesian Muslims.
Reading Materials:
1) Farish A. Noor, New Voices of Islam (Leiden: ISIM, 2002), pp. 35-41.
2) Amien Rais, “Islam and Politics in Comtemporary Indonesia,” in Geoff
Forrester, ed., Post-Suharto Indonesia: Renewal or Chaos? (Singapore: ISEAS,
1999).
3) Amien Rais, “Tidak Ada Negara Islam” [There Is No Islamic State], Panji
Masyarakat No. 376/1982 [translation will be provided].
4) John L. Eposito and John O. Voll, eds., Makers of Contemporary Islam (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2001), Chapter 9.
Session V: April 9
Challenges to Democracy: Radicalism and Terrorism
Democracy in Indonesia is not without challenge. The debate about the nature of
state identity, for example, has resurfaced since the democratisation process in
1998. There has also been the drive towards the implementation of syariah
(Islamic laws) in some areas. However, the most significant challenge has come
from radical Islamic groups and the threat of terrorism. If the radical groups
view democracy as alien to Islam and try to replace it with their own
conceptions of a state based on Islam, the terrorists seek to undermine and
destroy democracy. This session discusses the nature of those challenges and
examines the extent to which Indonesia’s democracy would be able to withstand
them.
Reading Materials:
1) Rizal Sukma, “Indonesia and the Challenge of Radical Islam After October 12”
in Kumar Ramakrisna and Tan See Seng, eds., After Bali: The Threat of Terrorism
in Southeast Asia (Singapore: IDSS, 2003)
2) Rizal Sukma, “Indonesia and 9-11: Reactions and Implications” in Han Sung-Joo,
ed., Coping With 9-11: Asian Perspectives on Global and Regional Order (Tokyo:
JCIE, 2003)
3) Greg Fealy, “Radical Islam in Indonesia: History and Prospects,” in Greg
Fealy and Aldo Borgu, Local Jihad: Radical Islam and Terrorism in Indonesia,
Strategy (Barton, Australia: ASPI, September 2005)
4) Kirsten E. Schulze, “Militants and Moderates,” The World Today, January 2002
5) ICG, International Crisis Group (ICG), “How the Jemaah Islamiyah Terrorist
Network Operates” (ICG Asia Report No. 43, 11 December 2002)
6) ICG, “Jemaah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia: Damaged but Still Dangerous” (ICG
Asia Report No. 63, 26 August 2003).
Session VI: April 11
Islam in Indonesia’s Foreign Policy
As Islam in Indonesia constitutes the dominant religion, it is often assumed
that Islam would also find its expression in the country’s foreign policy. There
is also a tendency to assume that in a country where Islamic forces play a role
in politics and national-policy making, then that country tends to produce an
anti-Western attitude. Even though the presence of anti-Western attitude can
surely be found within Indonesia’s Muslim circles, it is generally an exception
rather than a norm. Indonesia’s foreign policy has never been defined in terms
of Islam. This session looks at the influence and place of Islam in Indonesia’s
foreign policy since 1998, especially in its relations with the West since
September 11.
Reading Materials:
1) Rizal Sukma, Islam in Indonesian Foreign Policy (London: Routledge, 2003)
2) Michael Leifer, “The Islamic Factor in Indonesia’s Foreign Policy” in Adeed
Dawisha, ed., Islam in Foreign Policy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1983)
3) Lena Kay, Indonesian Public Perceptions of the U.S. and Their Implications
for U.S. Foreign Policy, Issues & Insights, vol. 5-No.4, Pacific Forum CSIS,
Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2005.
4) Leo Suryadinata, Indonesia’s Foreign Policy Under Suharto: Aspiring to
International Leadership (Singapore: Times Academic Press, 1997), Chapter 10.
Session VII: April 16
Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Indonesia
Indonesia’s experiment at democratisation has been less than a decade long.
However, despite its shortcomings and challenges, the democratisation process is
still holding. In fact, many see the 2004 general elections, during which a
direct presidential election was held for the first time, as the end of
democratic transition in the country. This session examines the prospects for
democratic consolidation in Indonesia, with special reference to the role of
Muslim civil society in the process.
Reading Materials:
1) Rizal Sukma, “Political Transition and Democratic Resilience in Indonesia”
(forthcoming)
2) Douglas Webber, “A Consolidated Patrimonial Democracy? Democratization in
Post-Suharto Indonesia.” Manuscript.
3) Azyumardi Azra, Indonesia, Islam and Democracy: Dynamics in a Global Context
(Jakarta: Soltice, 2006), Chapter 1.
Students will have to write one 20-page research paper to be submitted April 25.
Grade Components:
Participation = 30%
Research Paper = 70%
