Protecting Buddhist Women from Muslim Men: “Love Jihad” and the Rise of Islamophobia in Myanmar

Buddhist protectionism in contemporary Myanmar revolves around fears of the decline of Buddhism and deracination of the amyo (group/“race”). Buddhist protectionists and Burmese nationalists have declared Islam and Muslims the greatest threat to race and religion, and Myanmar has witnessed widespread distribution of anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim content, as well as massive violence against Muslim minority communities, the Rohingya in particular. The Indian neologism “Love Jihad” has scarce reference in contemporary Burmese Buddhist discourses, but, importantly, the tropes of aggressive male Muslim sexuality and (forced) conversion through marriage (“love jihad”) have been one of the core issues in Buddhist protectionism in Myanmar. The article shows that such tropes of the threatening foreign male have strong historical legacies in Myanmar, going back to colonial Burma when Burmese concerns over Indian male immigrant workers resulted in both anti-Indian violence and anti-miscegenation laws. Importantly, however, compared to colonial Indophobia and military era xenophobic nationalism, contemporary constructions are informed by new political realities and global forces, which have changed Buddhist protectionist imaginaries of gender and sexuality in important ways. Building on Sara R. Farris’ concept of “femonationalism”, and Roger Brubaker’s concept of civilizationism, the article shows how Global Islamophobia, as well as global discourses on women’s rights and religious freedom, have informed Buddhist protectionism beyond ethnonationalism in the traditional sense.

Minorities in Turkey I: Law and Reform

Here I uncover the relationship between the term “Turk” (an ethno-religious term that, in some usages covertly, in some overtly, avers that Turkey is the land of ethnic Turks, and that only Muslims are considered Turk), and the concepts of race and religion. A critical period for the advancement of human rights and minority rights in Turkey occurred in the early 2000s, when the parliament adopted a series of reform packages in order to harmonize the country’s laws with those of the European Union (EU). I propose to examine a case of these most radical democratic reforms carried out since the establishment of the republic, in order to understand how these reforms have been put into practice. I also trace the deviation from these reforms after 2005, by examining the subsequent laws and practices that undo or undermine them, and discuss their implications, particularly for Kurds in case of the deterioration under the state of emergency (Olağanüstü Hal, or OHAL), declared in response to the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.

Hebrew, Hebrews, Hubris?: Diagnosing Race and Religion in the Time of COVID-19

This thought experiment in comparison ponders a Black man’s conviction that his Hebrew identity would make him immune to COVID-19. Surfacing the history of the claims and the scholar’s own suspicions, the paper examines the layered politics of identification. Contra an essentialist understanding of the terms, “Hebrew” and “Hebrews” are shown to be classificatory events, ones imbricated in the dynamics of racecraft. Furthermore, a contextualization of the “race religion” model of 19th century scholarship, 20th century US religio-racial movements, and the complicated legacy of Tuskegee in 21st century Black vaccine hesitancy help to outline the need for inquisitiveness rather than hubris in matters of comparison. In so doing, this working paper advances a model of the public scholar as a questioner of categories and a diagnostician of classification.

Strategi Komunikasi Politik Tim Kampanye Daerah Joko Widodo – K.H. Ma’ruf Amin Provinsi Jawa Timur dalam Pemenangan PILPRES 2019

This study aims to discuss how the Regional Campaign Team (TKD) Ir. Joko Widodo - KH. Ma'ruf Amin of East Java Province in formulating the strategy of the East Java TKD funds of local officials, Jokowi's volunteer network and East Java kyais and political figures to win the Candidate Candidate No.1.In this study several resource persons stated that the role of all elements of society and figures and clerics and in the 2019 presidential election were very compact and effective, especially with the many issues of ethnicity, race and religion, which were used to attack incumbent Joko Widodo. This type of research uses descriptive qualitative methods and case study methods, with data collection techniques, namely interviews and documentation. The purpose of this research is to describe the Strategy of the East Java Regional Campaign Team Joko Widodo - KH. Ma'ruf Amin and Jokowi Volunteers during the Presidential election, therefore the East Java TKD strategy is an opinion leader to determine the Getter vote and become a political mediator to various parties who have an important role to increase votes in East Java. Keywords: Regional Campaign Team, Political Strategy, Presidential Election

Komunitas Kristiani sebagai Duta Kasih Allah di tengah Kebhinekaan Bangsa Indonesia

The focus of this research study describes the role of Christians in strengthening the spirit of diversity in the Indonesian nation. Currently, Indonesia is not only facing the Covid-19 pandemic but also a national identity crisis. In various places, there are rampant intolerance, radicalism, and acts of extremism-terrorism that threaten the integrity of the nation. In this situation, Christians are called to show their identity by becoming ambassadors for God's love. By becoming ambassadors of God's love, Christians prove that love is greater than enmity. Christians can start by living together in a community. In the community, Christians are trained to be more sensitive to the sufferings of the world and not run out of power. This research study uses a phenomenological approach that starts from the calling of Christians to live in a spirit of love. Because in the way of living together all differences are put together. Thus, the Christian community becomes a good platform for channeling love to others regardless of ethnicity, race, and religion. Therefore, the Christian community is a means of realizing togetherness in a spirit of diversity.AbstrakFokus studi penelitian ini menguraikan peran orang Kristiani dalam memperkuat semangat kebinekaan Bangsa Indonesia. Saat ini Indonesia tidak hanya menghadapi pan-demi covid-19 tetapi juga krisis identitas kebangsaan. Di berbagai tempat marak terjadi intoleransi, radikalisme dan tindakan ekstremisme-terorisme yang mengancam keutuhan bangsa. Berhadapan dengan situasi ini orang Kristiani dipanggil untuk menunjukkan iden-titasnya dengan menjadi duta kasih Allah. Dengan menjadi duta kasih Allah orang Kristiani membuktikan bahwa, kasih lebih besar dari permusuhan. Orang Kristiani dapat memulai-nya dengan hidup bersama dalam komunitas. Dalam komunitas, orang Kristiani dilatih untuk lebih peka mendengar penderitaan dunia dan tidak kehabisan daya. Studi penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan fenomenologi yang bertitik tolak dari panggilan orang Kris-tiani untuk hidup dalam semangat kasih. Sebab dalam cara hidup bersama segala per-bedaan disatukan. Dengan demikian komunitas Kristiani menjadi wadah yang baik untuk menyalurkan kasih kepada sesama tanpa memandang suku, ras dan agama. Karena itu, komunitas Kristiani adalah sarana untuk mewujudkan kebersamaan dalam semangat kebinekaan.

Generation-making narratives and responses to diversity in Poland

In this article, the authors move away from approaching generations as static categories and explore how ordinary people, as opposed to scholars, distinguish generations and justify their different responses to cultural diversity in terms of ethnicity, race and religion/belief. The analysis draws on 90 in-depth interviews with 30 residents in the Polish capital, Warsaw (2012–2013). Through approaching generation as an analytical category, the authors identify various differentiating narratives which the study participants employed to draw boundaries between generations, reinforcing the common belief that the youngest Poles are most accepting of diversity. Although generations are seen as the axis of difference, conditioning generation-specific responses to diversity, the accounts emerging from the interviews reveal their relational nature, as well as similarities and points of connection between their experiences.

Komparasi Agama Terkait Pembangunan Rumah Ibadah Antara Lebak dan Pandeglang

This paper aims to dissect the concept of how to compare religions related to houses of worship between Lebak and Pandeglang. Today, social society has a lot of diversity, including ethnicity, language, race, and religion. With so many differences and social diversity, society tends to cause divisions in the community environment. The differences that are present in the community are fostered by a unity that respects one another. The study in this article describes the side of Indonesian pluralism, especially the social conditions of the religious community in Lebak Regency. The challenges that are present in forming unity and respecting differences in the concept of multicultural pluralism are not clashed with disagreements and respect for the differences that exist in each individual. Neither government regulations or policies, both central and regional, do not limit the space for minority communities. The concept that is present in the community will lead to love for unity and peace. Lebak is a district in Banten Province, which is tolerant of differences. In the condition of a society that respects each other and chats with tolerance, the culture of the community that is different from the individuals in the environment, is able to understand the character of every human being, so that hate speech about a group is almost non-existent. However, in contrast to neighboring districts, Pandeglang has become a district nicknamed the city of santri in Banten province, which is quite intolerant of non-Muslims. One of which is the community rejects the construction of non-Muslim places of worship in Pandeglang district. Of course this shows a clear allusion that looks like distinguishing the right to religion and worship only in Islam.Keywords: multiculturalism, pluralism, identity, comparison AbstrakTulisan ini bertujuan untuk membedah konsep bagaimana Komparasi Agama Terkait Rumah Ibadah Antara Lebak dan Pandeglang. Dewasa ini sosial masyarakat memiliki banyak keberagaman, baik suku, bahasa, ras, maupun agama. Dengan banyaknya perbedaan serta keberagaman sosial masyarakat cenderung menimbulkan perpecahan dalam lingkungan masyarakat tersebut. Perbedaan yang hadir ditengah masyarakat dipupuk dengan persatuan yang saling menghargai satu sama lain. Kajian dalam artikel ini mendeskripsikan sisi pluralism Indonesia terkhusus kondisi sosial umat beragama di Kabupaten Lebak. Tantangan yang hadir dalam membentuk persatuan dan saling menghargai perbedaan dalam konsep pluralism multikultularilsm tidak dibenturkan dengan perselisih­­ paham dan menghargai perbedaan yang ada pada setiap individu. Baik aturan atau kebijakan pemerintah baik pusat ataupun daerah, tidak membatasi ruang terhadap masyarakat minoritas. Konsep yang hadir ditengah masyarakat tersebut akan menimbulkan cinta persatuan dan perdamaian. Lebak merupakan kabupaten yang berada di Provinsi Banten, menjdi salah-satu daerah yang toleran terhadap perbedaan. Dalam kondisi masyarakat yang saling menghargai dan bercengkrama dengan toleransi, budaya masyarakat yang berbeda dengan individu yang ada di lingkungan tersebut, mampu memahami karakter setiap insan, sehingga ujaran kebencian akan suatu kelompok hampir tidak ada kasus. Namun beda dengan Kabupaten tetangganya, Pandeglang malah menjadi sebuah kabupaten yamng di juluki kota santri di provinsi Banten cukup intoleran terhadap non-muslim. Yang salah satunya masyarakat menolak pembanguan rumah ibadah non-muslim di kabupaten pandeglang. Tentu hal ini menunjukan adanya singgungan jelas yang terlihat seperti membedakan hak beragama dan beribadah hanya ada pada agama islam.Kata Kunci: multikulturalisme, pluralisme, identitas, komparasi