Posted in: Religion

The human cost of Indonesia's Blasphemy Law

, , ,
Some 23 people have been sentenced under the Blasphemy Law since President Joko Widodo came to power in 2014, including six this year. Andreas Harsono from Human Rights Watch looks at the impact of the law on its victims, such as ethnic Chinese Buddhist Meliana.

Talking Indonesia: confronting religious intolerance

,
Is a hard-line approach the best way to deal with religious intolerance? Is there a more nuanced way to address the problem? Dr Charlotte Setijadi chats to Dr Sandra Hamid about rising intolerance towards religious minorities in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

How did a complaint about a mosque loudspeaker end up in a blasphemy conviction?

, ,
The conviction of Meiliana, after she complained about the noise of a nearby mosque, has shocked Indonesia. PUSAD Paramadina researchers examine Meiliana's complaint in detail, and the violence that followed, showing how hate was mobilised to convict her.

Is it really a surprise that radicals might have infiltrated Indonesian kindergartens?

, ,
Indonesians were stunned over the weekend by photos of kindergarten students dressed as violent extremists. Lies Marcoes writes that while the choice of costume was disturbing, the fact that something like this could happen in an Indonesian kindergarten was not a surprise.

What might Jokowi’s vice presidential pick mean for religious freedom?

, , , ,
President Joko Widodo surprised many when he selected Islamic cleric Ma'ruf Amin as his vice presidential running mate. Dr Budhy Munawar Rachman looks at Ma'ruf's record at the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) and writes that if the pair are elected, things could become a lot worse for religious minorities.

Aceh’s obsession with sex: why the province has its priorities wrong

, ,
When Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf was arrested for corruption last month, members of the public began asking if his hand would be cut off. But as Dr Dina Afrianty explains, Aceh’s Islamic Criminal Code does not cover corruption, and is primarily concerned with regulating sex.

A polarised Indonesia? Elections, intolerance and religion

, , , ,
Religious identity politics is increasingly becoming the norm in Indonesian elections. Dr Sandra Hamid calls for more attention to be paid to the period between elections, and how growing exclusivism in the practice of Islam can have implications for future electoral contests.

2018 regional elections: why is there a disconnect between local and national politics?

, , , ,
Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir and Rafiqa Qurrata A’yun take a look at the results of the 2018 regional elections. Rather than reflecting national-level dynamics, they write, the behaviour of political parties and politicians at the local level is defined primarily by opportunism.

Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah struggle with internal divisions in the post-Soeharto era

, , ,
Recent years have seen significant divisions within Indonesia's two largest Muslim organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah. Ahmad Syarif Syechbubakr looks at the causes of these divisions and how they are affecting the organisations' religious and political positions.

Indonesia at Melbourne is supported by:

Melbourne Law School Asia Institute Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society Indonesia Forum Faculty of Arts Indonesia Democracy Hallmark Research Initiative

Indonesia at Melbourne

Room 726, Level 7, 185 Pelham St,
The University of Melbourne
Parkville 3010 VIC Australia

Phone: +61 3 83448581

Email:  indo-at-melb@unimelb.edu.au

Date created: 1 July 2015

Editor: Aron Corbett

Editorial board: 
Professor Tim Lindsey
Dr Tim Mann

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated.

Phone:13 MELB (13 6352) | International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
The University of Melbourne ABN:84 002 705 224
CRICOS Provider Code:00116K (visa information)

Disclaimer & copyright
Accessibility
Privacy