Episode Details

Indonesia is quietly redefining what political Islam can look like in the modern world. In the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, influential movements led by Nahdlatul Ulama are pushing back against extremism by embracing pluralism, protecting religious minorities, and rooting faith firmly within the framework of the nation-state. In this episode, we explore how Indonesia’s syncretic Islamic traditions, combined with government crackdowns on hardline groups, are reshaping the country’s religious and political balance. As public piety rises alongside democratic norms, the story asks whether Indonesia’s model of inclusive Islam can offer a compelling alternative to more rigid, legalistic visions competing for influence across the Muslim world.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/16/indonesia-wants-to-export-moderate-islam