Southeast Asian Muslims in the Era of Globalization: a Book Based on JICA-RI Research is Published by Palgrave Macmillan

On December 16, 2014, Southeast Asian Muslims in the Era of Globalization, edited by Associate Professor Ken Miichi of Iwate Prefectural University (former JICA-RI Visiting Scholar) and Professor Emeritus Omar Farouk of Hiroshima City University, was published by British publisher Palgrave Macmillan.

This book is based on the research project entitled Islam and Development in Southeast Asia conducted by JICA-RI from 2008 to 2011.

Islam and Muslims in Southeast Asia have been described using two sets of contradictory terms. On the one hand, they are imagined as being Sufistic, syncretistic and localized, and thought to be different from their counterparts in the Middle East. On the other hand, the danger of radical Islam has been emphasized and Southeast Asia suddenly became a risk in the context of the global war on terrorism. The latter viewpoint has become particularly prevalent after October 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia. This volume seeks to bridge the gap between these opposing perceptions by analyzing the Muslim responses to globalization and process of negotiation in Southeast Asia.