Islam is a major element in Southeast Asian affairs, though academically neglected.  Muslims are the largest religious community in Southeast Asia, comprising about 45% of the region’s population, and Islam is critical to understanding political, security and cultural developments.  This course will survey the diverse Muslim societies in the region and examine the complex historical, and cultural ties between them.  It will consider the role of ‘external’ forces in shaping Muslim life in Southeast Asia as well as considering in what ways regional Islam may be distinctive from other parts of the Muslim world. 

We will give particular attention to a number of issues: (1) the political consequences of Islamization in Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly on democracy and state-religion relations; (2) the role of Islam in various insurgencies, such as those in Aceh, southern Thailand, and the southern Philippines; (3) the dynamics of extremism and terrorism; and (4) Islam’s influence on regional diplomacy.  In discussing these issues, we will critically assess the literature on the politics of Southeast Asian Islam and the cultural and theoretical assumptions which underlie it.

Students will gain knowledge of key events, organisations and trends in Southeast Asian Islam, and contending interpretations of them.  They will particularly develop skills in critical reading of both primary and secondary source texts.

Seminar Participation – 10%

Reading Comments (4 in total; 500-700 words each) – 20%

Main Essay of 3000 words – 40%

Examination – 30%

Students will be expected to do two to four hours preparation for the weekly seminars.  In addition to reading a number of contrasting scholarly texts, English-language primary source materials written by Southeast Asian Muslims will often be included in the reading lists.

This course assumes no prior knowledge of Islam or Southeast Asian politics, nor does is require any vernacular language skills.  All texts are in English and the assessment is based primarily on demonstrated knowledge of and ability to critically engage with the weekly readings.

Greg Fealy and Virginia Hooker (eds), Voices of Islam in Southeast Asia: A Contemporary Sourcebook, ISEAS, Singapore, 2006.

Gordon Means, Political Islam in Southeast Asia, Reinner, Boulder, 2008.