Mujani, Saiful (2003) RELIGIOUS DEMOCRATS: DEMOCRATIC CULTURE AND MUSLIM POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN POST-SUHARTO INDONESIA. Doctoral (S3) thesis, The Ohio State University.
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Abstract
Most theories about the negative relationship between Islam and democracy rely on an interpretation of the Islamic political tradition. More positive accounts are also anchored in the same tradition, interpreted in a different way. While some scholarship relies on more empirical observation and analysis, there is no single work which systematically demonstrates the relationship between Islam and democracy. This study is an attempt to fill this gap by defining Islam empirically in terms of several components and democracy in terms of the components of democratic culture social capital, political tolerance, political engagement, political trust, and support for the democratic system and political participation. The theories which assert that Islam is inimical to democracy are tested by examining the extent to which the Islamic and democratic components are negatively associated. Indonesia was selected for this research as it is the most populous Muslim country in the world, with considerable variation among Muslims in belief and practice. Two national mass surveys were conducted in 2001 and 2002. This study found that Islam defined by two sets of rituals, the networks of Islamic civic engagement, Islamic social identity, and Islamist political orientations (Islamism) does not have a negative association with the components of democracy. The only negative relationship is found between Islamism and tolerance toward Christians. However, intolerant Islamism is not a real threat to democratic stability because intolerant Islamists tends to be passive, not active, political participants. There is no association between intolerant Islamism and protest activity that might have the potential to destabilize the democratic system. On the contrary, almost all components of Islam have a positive and significant relationship with secular civic engagement, with political engagement, and with political participation. These three components of democracy reinforce support for the democratic system as whole. Therefore, Islam helps Muslim citizens to be active in politics and this activity is congruent with the democratic system as a whole. What emerges is not religious Muslims who are against democracy, nor non-religious democrats, but rather religious Muslims who contribute to strengthening democracy. They are religious democrats.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral (S3)) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | RELIGIOUS DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATIC CULTURE, MUSLIM POLITICAL |
| Subjects: | Political Science > Political science (General) Political Science > Political institutions Asia Thesis > Thesis (S2) |
| Divisions: | Fakultas Ekonomi dan Ilmu Sosial > Program Studi Ilmu Politik |
| Depositing User: | Ahmad Yani |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Mar 2016 02:45 |
| Last Modified: | 27 May 2016 06:04 |
| URI: | http://repository.bakrie.ac.id/id/eprint/56 |
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