Southeast Asian Muslims in the Era of Globalization

Islam and Muslims in Southeast Asia have often been described using two sets of very contradictory terms. On the one hand, they are imagined as being Sufistic, syncretistic and localized, as opposed to their counterparts in the Middle East who are considered to be orthodox and 'fanatical'. On the other, after the 9/11 attacks and especially after the October 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia, the danger of radical Islam has been emphasized with Southeast Asia suddenly becoming a new location in the War on Terror. This volume seeks to bridge the gap between these opposing perceptions and demonstrate the appropriate position of Islam in Southeast Asia by looking at the Muslim responses to globalization and processes of negotiation. Foreign ideas, goods and texts are creatively adapted and re-contextualized in local situations, acquiring a localized cultural meaning. However, globalization aptly adapts to local conditions, penetrating deep inside territories. The contributors examine how Southeast Asian Muslims respond to globalization in their particular regional, national and local settings, and suggest global solutions for key local issues.