Religion, Law and Intolerance in Indonesia

In recent years Indonesia, which despite its Muslim majority has always been exceptional for its diversity, has seen a rise in “majoritarianism”, with conservative Islamist groups seeking to impose their interpretation of religion, including all the connected areas of social and public life. There are increasing fears for the future of basic human rights, the rights of women, sexual and ethnic minority groups, and the commitment to the pluralist national ideology, Pancasila. Paradoxically there have been more prosecutions for religious deviancy since the fall of Soeharto in 1998 than there were under the preceding authoritarian regime. This book explores a wide range of issues connected to these trends. It considers the debates going on in Indonesia concerning these issues, discusses the legal situation, examines particular cases of intolerance and violence against minorities, and explores the responses by the state and others. Overall, the book provides a great deal of insight into these controversial issues and into how the situation is likely to develop.

Tim Lindsey is Professor of Asian Law and Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Helen Pausacker is Deputy Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society and a Principal Research Assistant in the Asian Law Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia.