Where is Indonesia heading? With Islamic organisations become increasingly vocal commentators in the public debate about morality and religious minority rights, the concept of citizenship in Indonesia is undergoing a gradual, yet profoundly disturbing transformation. By Chris ChaplinMore
The theme of this year′s ArtJog, the largest art fair in Indonesia and a major event in Southeast Asia, is ′Changing Perspective′. Now in its tenth year, it is being hosted by Yogyakarta, Central Java′s cultural capital. Zora Rahman gives her impressionsMore
In future, Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia will be governed by a Muslim: during recent elections, the sitting Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was beaten by his Muslim opponent Anies Baswedan. Christina Schott reports from JakartaMore
The acclaimed documentary ″Street Punk! Banda Aceh″ is the work of film-maker and journalist Maria Bakkalapulo and her producer partner Niall Macaulay. This heart-breaking yet empowering film reveals how young people are striving to hold on to their identities and fight for freedom in the face of religious stricture and fierce opposition. Interview by Richard MarcusMore
Grassroots initiatives are ensuring that children have access to books in some Indonesian villages. Appreciation of books is rising in general. By Edith KoesoemawiriaMore
Written and directed by Indonesian Noor Huda Ismail, ″Jihad Selfie″ takes an in-depth look at the reasons behind radicalism. It is a warning to parents and young people of how social media often functions as a breeding ground for IS fighters. By Edith KoesoemawiriaMore
Marriage is highly regarded in Indonesian society and divorce can be a strong stigma for both women and men. Nonetheless, the number of divorces is rising and the government has now regulated issues of alimony and child care. By Edith KoesoemawiriaMore
Many Indonesians are watching with concern as religious intolerance and violence against minorities continues to escalate. But the vast majority are successfully stemming the tide of radical tendencies. By Franz Magnis-SusenoMore
Indonesia′s literary shooting star, Eka Kurniawan, recently longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize, is already being hailed as Pramoedya Ananta Toer′s successor. Although ″Beauty is a wound″ was published in 2002, Kurniawan has only recently gained international recognition with its English translation. Sherif Abdel Samad read the bookMore
Across 10 countries with significant Muslim populations surveyed by Pew Research Center in 2015, there is a striking difference as to the extent to which people think the Koran should influence their nation’s lawsMore
Culture, religion – or merely politics? Recent terrorist attacks against another European capital city in less than a year have once again shaken world politics to the core. Are we playing into the hands of Daesh? By Hakim KhatibMore
Concepts like apostasy or blasphemy reveal that Islamic theology is caught in a mode of imperial Islamic political thinking, says US-based scholar Ebrahim Moosa. What is needed is a process of critical appraisal. Moosa asks that Muslims rediscover the great lessons of diversity in their history rather than following the reductionist versions that masquerade as Muslim theology today. Interview by Claudia MendeMore
The dawn of 2016 has brought a new round of doomsday predictions that Saudi Arabia’s ruling Al Saud family cannot sustain its autocratic grip on power. The kingdom, pessimists argue, is caught in a perfect storm with economic problems, social challenges and foreign policy crises all converging at the same time. By James M. DorseyMore
Despite being India′s largest minority, the Muslim community is marginalised both economically and politically. Although Muslims are frequently targeted in acts of communal violence, the government and the population at large generally associate Islam with terrorism. Ghazala Jamil examines the quest of Indian Muslims for genuine participation and representationMore
A lively debate is currently raging in Indonesia on how Islamic norms can be reconciled with democratic values. Liberals and fundamentalists, moderates and reactionaries are engaging in verbal skirmishes. Adelheid Feilcke asked Fred Schulze, an expert on Southeast Asia, what this debate means for the world's largest Islamic countryMore
In her novel "The Question of Red", Indonesian author Laksmi Pamuntjak effectively combines the multi-faceted nature of the island state′s sociopolitical system and its bloody recent history with the fate of her fictional protagonists. Bettina David read the bookMore
Braving the bitter cold, Lebanese villagers have been patrolling a mountainside in the country's north, trying to protect trees from loggers who roll in under the cover of darkness, while refugees in the Bekaa valley have joined a seed bomb reforestation project
