The Islamic debate in Malaysia: The unfinished project
This paper discusses the various models of the Islamic state in comtemporary Malaysia. Rather than arguing in terms of a conflict between the state and Islamic resurgence, it tries to trace the multifaceted forms of constantly shifting meanings of Islamic modernity, civil society and democracy that...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Print Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Sage Publications
2003
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In: |
South-East Asia research
Year: 2003, Volume: 11, Issue: 2, Pages: 173-201 |
Further subjects: | B
Democratization
B Modernization B Islam B Religion B Malaysia Religion Islam Civil society Democratization Social change Modernization Islam and politics Islamische Länder / Islamische Welt Social security net B Malaysia B Islamic countries B Civil society B Islam and politics B Social security net B Social change |
Summary: | This paper discusses the various models of the Islamic state in comtemporary Malaysia. Rather than arguing in terms of a conflict between the state and Islamic resurgence, it tries to trace the multifaceted forms of constantly shifting meanings of Islamic modernity, civil society and democracy that surpass all party boundaries. This involves the conservative hudud Islam of the opposition party PAS and its temporary turn towards e-Islam and democracy as much as Mahathir's modernizing Vision 2020 and its contestations on the state level. The constant overlapping between "modernist" and "conservative" Islam shows Malaysia at the forefront of a development that is also occurring in other countries of the Muslim world where new models of governance, statehood, political participation and social systems are debated in close reference to Islam. As Malaysia emerges as one of the most rapidly modernizing Muslim countries in the world, this paper argues for a more differentiated look at these developments, which have largely gone unnoticed due to the Western fixation with "Islamic fundamentalism". (South East Asian Res/DÜI) |
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ISSN: | 0967-828X |
Contains: | In: South-East Asia research
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