The Social Scientific Study of Islam in Indonesia

A 75 Year Retrospective

Bibliographic Data

ID20352466
AuthorsRobert W Hefner (0000-0002-9438-699X, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume32
Issue1
Pages9-42
Publication date2025-04-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSTUDIA ISLAMIKA (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0215-0492 • E-ISSN: 2355-6145
PublisherStudia Islamika, Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University of Jakarta (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.36712/sdi.v32i1.45289
OpenAlexW4410133784
LanguageEN
Citations received2

This essay provides an historical overview of broad currents in the social scientific study of Islam in Indonesia from the Modjokuto project of the early 1950s to today. It makes three broad points. First, the essay shows that a perennial influence on the refiguration of Muslim politics and ethics in Indonesia has been, not scriptural principles alone, but the global ascendance of the modern nation state and Muslim intellectuals’ and politicians’ efforts to craft a Muslim public ethics consonant with the realities of a modern and religiously plural nation. Second, the essay shows that another feature of the social scientific study of Islam in Indonesia has been the ascendance of Indonesia-born Muslim intellectuals to positions of intellectual leadership in the field. Third, the overview makes clear that one of the most important recent achievements of this social scientific research has been to explain how Indonesia succeeded in developing the most effective and sustainable democracy in the Muslim-majority world

Islam · Social science · Sociology · Theology · Cultural and Religious Practices in Indonesia · Education and Islamic Studies · Islamic Studies and Radicalism · Philosophy · Religious studies

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