NBR-RSIS DISCUSSION WORKSHOP: TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA. June 26, 2008, Singapore

Transcription

1 NBR-RSIS DISCUSSION WORKSHOP: TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA June 26, 2008, Singapore

2 NBR-RSIS Discussion Workshop, Singapore, Thursday, June 26, 2008 : Movements, Networks, and Conflict Dynamics Organization of the Report Report Preface: NBR Methodology... i Workshop Discussion Summary... 1 Appendix I: Panelist Biographies Appendix II: Workshop Invitation, Agenda, and Précis... 14

3 Page i Workshop Report: Preface TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: MOVEMENTS, NETWORKS, AND CONFLICT DYNAMICS NBR-RSIS DISCUSSION WORKSHOP REPORT Report Preface PROPRIETARY: NO REDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ASIAN RESEARCH

4 Page ii Workshop Report: Preface NBR Methodology NBR s institional mission is to inform and strengthen U.S. policy in Asia. Toward this effort, our programs employ a number of innovative approaches in research design and methodology with a particular goal to provide, to the extent possible, a unique inside the Asia-Pacific perspective on issues of key importance to U.S. interests in Asia. Employing a network of experts business model NBR assembles research teams that draw on both American and international expertise. Depending on the needs of a particular study, NBR research teams are often predominantly comprised of experts based in the region(s) of focus, the idea being to provide a unique on the ground perspective that may otherwise be inaccessible to a U.S. policy audience and, significantly, may differ in analyses from U.S. perspectives on the same issues. Moreover, this business model often provides access to regional specialists that have made significant contributions in their respective fields of research and expertise in their own country and/or region, but may otherwise be unknown quantities in the United States. NBR s research deliverable packages include a combination of research papers/monographs, briefings, workshops and conferences, tailored to the needs and requirements of the particular study. In addition to project events within the United States, primarily in Washington D.C., NBR often organizes events in the Asia-Pacific region to contribute to the overall research and analyses emerging from a particular study. Depending on the project scope and design, the purpose of the regional workshop may be: 1) explicitly, to provide an opportunity for U.S. experts to engage with regional specialists; and/or 2) implicitly, to elicit regional policy insight on issues of relevance to U.S. interests in Asia. The latter, in particular, often serves as a useful brief-back to the policy audience in the United States, as members of regional policy communities are provided an opportunity to respond to findings and analyses emerging from ongoing NBR studies relevant to their particular country and/or region. NBR regional workshops invite participation from a cross-section of academic, government, and/or think-tank communities of the respective host-country in Asia. A key goal of such workshops is to engage Asian policy experts in discussion, based on the assumption that regional policy responses to NBR research initiatives may reveal a uniquely different perspective on the issues in question than, for instance, a policy audience in the United States. NBR then filters this local feedback to provide an additional layer of the regional perspective for our primary U.S. policy audience. The objective is, thus, to further enhance the unique NBR-value added through research teams comprised of regional experts, by also eliciting regional policy responses to their respective research. To that end, on June 26, 2008, NBR organized a regional discussion workshop to support an NBR research study on : Movements, Trends, and Conflict Dynamics. Co-hosted by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, the workshop invited audience participation from a cross-section of academic, government, and think-tank communities in Singapore and the region. This report provides a summary of discussion highlights from that event.

5 Page 1 Workshop Discussion Summary TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: MOVEMENTS, NETWORKS, AND CONFLICT DYNAMICS Workshop Discussion Summary SUMMARY REPORT FOR NBR DISCUSSION WORKSHOP ON TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: MOVEMENTS, NETWORKS, AND CONFLICT DYNAMICS THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008, SINGAPORE PROPRIETARY: NO REDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ASIAN RESEARCH

6 Page 2 Workshop Discussion Summary Executive Summary Summary This summary provides a thematic overview of the key findings and policy implications emerging from the NBR-RSIS Singapore Discussion Workshop, held on June 26, Workshop participants explored the diverse and heterogenous landscape of transnational Islam in South and Southeast Asia and assessed its implications for these regions sociopolitical futures. Exploring the relationship between local conflicts and transnational movements, participants discussed the prospects for regional conflict resolution. Key Findings Transnational Islam has elements that are distinct to Muslim communities as well as some aspects that reflect broader globalization trends. It thus becomes important to distinguish groups that are inherently transnational from, for instance, the lives of people becoming transnationalized by other means. The following working typology of transnational Islam was established during the course of the workshop: Sufi brotherhoods; pietist movements (e.g., Tablighi Jamaat); broadbased Islamist ideologies (e.g., the Muslim Brotherhood movement and Jamaat-i-Islami); radical political movements (e.g., Hizb ut-tahrir); and militant groups and networks (e.g., Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah). It is difficult to identify singular nodes of transnational Islam given that enhanced mobility largely does away with traditional centers and material bases of Islamic propagation. However, there still remain important symbolic Muslim spaces such as Mecca, Al-Azhar in Egypt, etc. Islamists and Muslim actors, like others, are in search of power political power, justice, equal rights. While these demands may often be articulated along religious lines, the object of their concerns is often largely secular in nature. Policy Implications It is important for states to remain cognizant of a global Muslimscape, for which Muslim identity serves as a nation-state boundary transcending passport. It is important to refrain from manipulating the Islamic field e.g., supporting some Muslim actors while marginalizing others. Likewise, the oversimplification of defining Muslims in terms of good and bad Muslim camps should be avoided. Viewing Muslim communities and actors solely through the lens of security can be problematic. Muslims use of religious vocabulary and codes, adherance to traditional practices, or calls for a greater role of Islam in society should not be confused with extremism. Migrant and diaspora populations open a new set of needs transcending nation-state boundaries. Transnational Muslim movements can address the unique needs of these communities. Questions of power, inequalities, and justice emerging from Muslim communities need to be addressed.

7 Page 3 Workshop Discussion Summary Introduction Events in recent years have drawn considerable attention to the growing importance of transnational Muslim networks in the political and conflict dynamics of South and Southeast Asia. While much analysis has focused on militant groups such as Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah, other radical Islamist groups (e.g., Hizb ut-tahrir), broad-based ideologies (e.g., the Muslim Brotherhood movement and Jamaat-i-Islami), and even predominantly quietist networks (e.g., Jama at al-tabligh and various Sufi brotherhoods) also exert significant social and political influence. In order to gain a more in-depth understanding of this issue, while building on its past and current initiatives on Muslim Asia, The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), in partnership with The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), convened a one-day, invitation-only, discussion workshop on : Movements, Networks, and Conflict Dynamics. Drawing on research for an ongoing NBR study, workshop panelists explored the landscape of transnational Islam in South and Southeast Asia and assessed its implications for these regions sociopolitical futures. Workshop panelists identified major Muslim actors groups, networks, political parties, personalities in South and Southeast Asia and assessed their evolving roles; the ways in which Muslim actors organize and operate; and the relationship of these groups to the political environments in which they are active. Panelists discussed transnational Islam as it manifests in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan; and Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Exploring the relationship between local conflicts and transnational movements, panelists evaluated the impact of such movements on regional conflict dynamics and assessed the prospects for regional conflict resolution. This report provides a summary analysis of the workshop discussion including main findings and key policy implications emerging from panel discussions. Toward a More Nuanced Understanding of Transnational Islam To gain a more nuanced understanding, transnational Islam needs to be approached as a phenomenon embedded in social reality. It is important to distinguish groups that are inherently transnational from, for instance, the lives of people becoming transnationalized by other means. Along these lines, it should be noted that there is nothing inherently new about transnational Islam, for the phenomenon has been occurring for centuries within and between the countries under study. Transnational flows, in other words, long predate the events of September 11, 2001 when this subject came to the foreground of international concern. With the events of 9/11 in mind, workshop participants noted that other transnational exchanges i.e., besides bombs and blood are occurring on the ground. There are continual exchanges, for example, taking place in commerce, culture, etc. Transnational actors should thus be seen as including a diversity of people and multiple identities reflecting the wide range of local and transnational exchanges. It should also be understood that the Islamic universe is heterogeneous. While some Muslim actors and groups transcend borders and boundaries, others

8 Page 4 Workshop Discussion Summary do not. Furthermore, the groups transcending boundaries do so at different places. Workshop participants emphasized the need, when approaching transnational Islam, to break down conventional categories i.e., traditionalist vs. modern, quietist vs. political for there is far greater dialogue taking place within and between these categories. Workshop participants stressed the fact that globalizing aspects of Islam are not exotic. The point was raised that transnationalism is not peculiar to Islam, but is shared by diverse religious traditions Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, etc. throughout the world. Just as there are global Muslimscapes, so too are there Hinduscapes, etc. The hope was expressed during the course of workshop discussions that this research project could thus help de-exceptionalize Islam not only from the point of view of transnationalism, but from a range of diverse perspectives. In addition, workshop participants drew attention to the many cross-cutting currents of globalization, with such factors as economic development, the opening of media channels, etc. fostering the dynamic interaction between diverse globalized actors, institutions, and ideas. Workshop participants furthermore expressed the need to remove the artificial boundaries of South and Southeast Asia from the framework of the discussion. The significance of Central and Western Asia not to mention the Middle East was often alluded to during the workshop discussion sessions, especially in light of research nominally focusing on Islam in Asia. Many workshop participants felt that it might be more useful to look at transnational Islam in South and Southeast Asia in relation to the trading routes of the Indian Ocean world. A Working Typology of Transnational Islam The following working typology of transnational Islam was established during the course of the workshop. This typology provides tentative categories of transnational Muslim actors at work throughout South and Southeast Asia: 1 Sufi brotherhoods (tariqat). It was noted that the research for this project and workshop discussions have particularly challenged prevailing assumptions regarding the perceived apolitical orientation of Sufi movements. In Pakistan in particular, Barelwi Muslims have been shown to utilize sectarian and militant wings. On the other hand, workshop participants called for further exploration of this topic with special attention to be given to such modern and increasingly influential movements as Fethullah Gülen s Gülen movement. Pietist movements (for example, the Tablighi Jamaat). Pietist or quietist movements are nominally apolitical Muslim groups espousing nonviolent means, and focusing on the spiritual purification of the individual. With particular regard to Tablighi Jamaat (TJ), it was stressed that the movement should be understood as a lay movement. In other words, occasional members make up the majority of TJ. Overall, it was noted, there is a lack of practical understanding regarding TJ. Broad-based Islamist ideologies (for example, the Muslim Brotherhood, Jamaat-i- Islami). 1 Generalizations, however, should be avoided regarding these categories, while also keeping in mind that traditional typologies do not always hold.

9 Page 5 Workshop Discussion Summary Radical political movements. Radical movements would include groups such as the Hizbut Tahrir which do not espouse violence as the primary path of struggle, but call for restoration of the caliphate, etc. Militant groups and networks (for example, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), etc.). Regarding militant networks, the important point was raised during the discussion that many local separatist actors and groups do not want to transnationalize their movements, or bear affiliation with transnational militant actors. In southern Thailand, for example, actors lose control of the cause by taking such measures. Many local groups feel that the presence of and affiliation with external groups such as JI or Al Qaeda could draw negative consequences to their activities. In the context of Bangladesh, analysis and emerging discussion pointed toward a grey zone of groups under this category which were not so militant/occasionally militant. This category is worth further exploring. Modern Nodes, Drivers, and Vectors of Transnational Islam During the course of the workshop discussions, the point was raised that it is difficult to identify singular nodes of transnational Islam given that enhanced mobility in great measure does away with the traditional nodes and material bases of Islamic propagation. However, there still remain important symbolic spaces and geographies such as Mecca, Al-Azhar in Egypt, etc. Petrodollar driven Islamization and transnationalism, it was noted, continues to play a critical role in the transmission of ideas and connections between the Middle East and Asia. The important role of global politics i.e., the Arab-Israeli wars and, in particular, that of the United States foreign policy the global war on terrorism which, among many Muslim communities, has come to be called the war on Islam ; the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, etc., was continually raised during workshop discussions, as drivers of transnational movements and Muslim solidarity. Workshop participants often noted that the controversy surrounding U.S. foreign policy throughout the Muslim world often gives political momentum and credibility to Islamist leaders. In light of the discussion of transnational flows and the significant role played by diaspora communities throughout South and Southeast Asia, some workshop participants questioned the relevance of the nation-state in this debate. Should we not, some questioned, focus on categories of transnational movements rather than locations? Categories, in other words, might help better reflect the manner in which these movements act throughout the world. Should we, for example, not look at the Tablighi Jamaat in this light? In this context, the argument was made that nationstates had been artificially mapped onto pre-existing transnational flows, relationships, etc. of Islamdom or what some referred to as the global Muslimscape. Along these lines, workshop participants stressed the need to view transnational Islam from the perspective of a globalizing public sphere in which actors, institutions, and concepts intersected and transcended the traditional boundaries of the nation-state. The workshop discussion helped focus attention on the numerous and influential vectors of transnational Islam. It is critical to understand the various channels many predating though

10 Page 6 Workshop Discussion Summary reinforced by processes of modern globalization that have facilitated the flow of transnational ideas and connections. Some of the most important of these vectors include: Scholarly exchange. Labor migration. Workshop discussions emphasized the important role played by diaspora migrant communities traveling to the Middle East and returning to Asia with Wahhabist and various other interpretations of Islamic belief. New media. The critical role played by the Internet, television, and radio in propagating transnational ideologies, forging solidarity, while bringing together distant communities was emphasized during the discussions. However, the point was raised that, especially in less developed countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, oral tradition and person-toperson meetings continue to play a primary role for the dissemination of ideas and network development. Ritual obligations. Discussions drew attention to the significant effect of Muslim pilgrims participating in the hajj, etc. who, similar to labor migrants, returned to their native countries with invigorated religious identities and new interpretations of the religion and conviction of transnational Muslim brotherhood. Everyday life. Discussions stressed the modes through which transnational Islam are embedded in everyday life. Charity organizations. Workshop participants argued that there was a lack of research regarding the role of charity organizations as drivers of transnational Islam at the local level, though these organizations play a pivotal role in promoting the religion and transnational networks. Youth and student groups. Localizing and De-Essentializing Islam In order to better understand transnational Islam, it is important to first localize and humanize the diversity of Islams at work on the ground. Workshop participants stressed the need to understand the human story of Islam and the manner in which Islameity is negotiated by individuals men and women on a daily basis in order to overcome the often seen tendency to essentialize Islam and Muslim actors. Workshop participants called for the audience to look at the sociology of Muslim movements. On the one hand, how are local individuals or groups transformed by participation in transnational movements and, vice-versa, how are transnational movements transformed by this encounter at the local level? At the local level, we see a diversity of Islams, and competition among diverse actors and movements. Thus, at the local level, continuous contestations shape the dimensions of transnational Islam. Muslim actors are engaged in dialogue contesting the new spaces opened by the processes of globalization. To understand the competition and interaction among groups, we must look at the discursive terrain and codes of exchange emerging from this competition. Accordingly, opposition to the west is not sufficient when explaining the expansion and appeal of transnational movements. Another factor that should be considered in this conversation regarding competition is the parochial aspect of transnational Islam. In southern Thailand, for example, in order for ideas to carry authority and currency, they must first be introduced by

11 Page 7 Workshop Discussion Summary ethnic Malays. So there is an inherent tension in place between local and transnational sources of religious ideas. Furthermore, at the local level, we see different forms and degrees of localization within the same group. Why, for instance, does the Tablighi Jamaat flourish in the United Kingdom, as opposed to other areas where this movement operates? Workshop participants questioned what factors allowed for the flourishing and competition of religious groups in particular areas as opposed to others. Along these lines, participants cautioned against allowing overdetermination of such factors as Saudi funding and the perceived influence of transnational actors to influence objective analysis. Saudi funding should not be seen as bulldozing local groups and actors as there is a more complex conversation occurring on the ground; nor should it be viewed as inherently connected to the propagation of strict and intolerant interpretations of Islam in local communities. Likewise, it is important to contextualize the local effects of transnational movements: i.e., transnational movements do not take over and determine the trajectories of local societies, but are rather engaged in an active, complex negotiation of local values, traditions, and perspectives. Along these lines, the role of individuals autonomy should not be forgotten. People have the autonomy to choose or reject in part, whole, etc. participation in or reception of transnational ideas and networks. Is Transnational Islam Islamic? Over the course of the workshop discussions, it was noted that transnational Islam or even nominal Islamist groups are not always motivated by Islam or religion. The relationship between the theological and political aspects of transnational Islam is multifaceted and complicated. This relationship is not made of narrow pathways or channels as, in reality, there is a great degree of cross-fertilization with the dialectic of the theological-political continually animating Muslim actors and actions. Workshop participants emphasized that the mundane aspects of transnational Islam should be taken into consideration when reconciling the multiple identities of this phenomenon. It is hardly foreign to the Muslim world, for example, to be concerned with economics, power, this-worldly comforts, etc. Throughout South and Southeast Asia, Islamists and Muslim actors, like others, are in search of power political power, justice, equal rights, etc. While the demands of these groups may often be articulated along religious lines, the object of their concerns is often largely secular in nature. Transnational movements, indeed, are often geopolitically driven. Particularly in the case of Pakistan, workshop participants noted that power is interpreted in terms of the state with its borders, etc. We thus need to recognize more consistently the political dimensions of these movements. So-called Islamic struggles for power are often, in reality, aimed toward secular goals, though pitched in Islamic vocabulary. Participants argued that migration has wrought changes in social mobility which is also often articulated through religious symbols. Migrants to Bangladesh, for example, seeking to elevate their status in society and gain political influence, build a mosque or participate in other overtly recognized Muslim activities. But these actions should not be interpreted as solely determined by religion or religious interests.

12 Page 8 Workshop Discussion Summary Policy Implications The argument was raised during workshop discussions that states in post-colonial Southeast Asia have difficulty understanding faith-based prioritizing of religious identity over citizenship. There is an inherent question of national sovereignty vs. bottom-up peoples globalization. It is important for states to remain cognizant of a global Muslimscape, for which Muslim identity serves as a nation-state boundary transcending passport. How can states deal with this faithbased reality? How does the nation-state come to terms with actors and groups which act as though it i.e., the nation-state does not exist? How can states, in general, manage rising religiosity? It was noted, however, that participation in the global Muslimscape should not be seen as antagonistic to citizenship. In light of this discussion, workshop participants suggested the need for a new vocabulary to address such transnational actors and groups spanning the traditional boundaries of nation-states, as people increasingly base their actions and political mobilization on religious identity. In this context, workshop participants highlighted the necessity to address the perceived need for creating comfort-zones for various, increasingly numerous and powerful faith-based groups. Furthermore, the faith-based model of education is becoming increasingly popular. The challenge is to effectively reduce the existing pressure zones to allow space for such education models, while not perceiving religious education as inherently connected to intolerance and radical religious violence. Workshop participants argued that Islam should be seen as a viable alternative and modern solution to the current needs of Muslims. Rather than a threat, transnational Muslim groups and movements, in general, need to be considered as part of the solution. Many transnational movements can accordingly be seen as total institutions and disciplinary agents of positive and ameliorative socialization. Nation-states will need to address questions of power, inequalities, and justice emerging from their respective Muslim communities. Workshop participants observed that it is no accident that Muslim groups addressing justice and equality for instance, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey, or similarly named groups throughout Asia have lately risen to power. The challenge lies in more effectively addressing these issues and concerns of Muslim populations. Along these lines, the question of how to effectively empower marginalized Muslim communities as found, for instance, in India, southern Thailand, and the Philippines, also needs to be addressed. Marginalization not Islam necessarily is the common source of many of the current problems we see facing these countries and regions not only presently, but over the last few decades. With this in mind, what beneficial modes of coexistence can states make greater efforts to generate? With regard to faith-based movements, workshop participants, significantly, raised the need to look beyond Western conceptions of secularization, i.e., the separation of church from state, when addressing the concerns of Muslim/ religious actors and related communities. Research shows that Muslims often want to meet faith/value-based objectives within secular space. In this regard, panelists observed the need to redefine prevailing concepts of secularization when approaching this topic. It was emphasized that many Islamist groups such as the Jamaat-i-Islami, etc., were trying to offer an alternative to conservative, value-based, mainstream politics. As

13 Page 9 Workshop Discussion Summary such, transnational Islam in these cases can be seen as a political, value-based, elitist approach to open globalization to a certain sector of society. Workshop participants noted that it was important to level the field for Muslim actors, emphasizing legal standards and equality to all actors. Panelists stressed the need to refrain from manipulating the Islamic field i.e., supporting some Muslim actors while marginalizing others. Along these lines, the oversimplication of defining Muslims in terms of good Muslim and bad Muslim camps should also be avoided. Furthermore, participants highlighted the danger of exaggerating the threat of Islamic extremism, stressing the need to reach out to and engage Muslim communities, and avoid looking at Muslims through the problematic lens of security. In similar vein, it is important to not confuse Muslims adhering to traditional practices or calls for a greater role of Islam in society with extremism. Furthermore, it is important to understand that the use of Islamic vocabulary, codes, symbols, etc. also does not always equate with extremism, or inherently imply a threat. A common refrain throughout the workshop discussions was the call to not overemphasize the role of religion and religious vocabulary. Jihad, for example, is a term commonly used by Muslims. This controversial and often misunderstood term means struggle, and should not be seen as inherently implying violent or subversive struggle. It was also observed that the influence of Wahhabism, as well, should not inherently be equated with extremism, intolerance, violence, etc. In understanding Wahhabism, as with all modes of transnational Islam, it is important to consider its nuances and diverse currents. Thus, the writings of Wahhabist ideologues such as Qutb should be seen as traveling widely and differently. All paths of ideas should not be seen as inherently leading to violence, radicalism, or terrorism. In short, workshop discussants stressed the need to avoid exacerbating sensitive matters by over-reliance on convenient typologies that may not accurately reflect ground realities. Migrant and diaspora populations open a set of needs transcending nation-state boundaries. Transnational Muslim movements can be seen as service providers addressing the unique needs of these communities. Thus, it is important to consider the diverse ways in which diaspora spaces affect transnational Islam and local realities. The intriguing argument was raised during workshop discussion that, in order to understand (and address through effective policy), for example, JI-Bangladesh or JI-Pakistan, one must first look at the ground realities of Bangladeshi and Pakistani diaspora communities in the United Kingdom, for example, and the manner in which these communities are likely to affect regional realities. Approaching Muslim diaspora communities and transnational Islam through the lens of global acupuncture was the analytical framework proposed for this insight. As a final note, the idea of symbiotic relations between local and militant transnational groups was raised during the course of the discussion workshop. Participants noted that the most dangerous security threats appear to arise from the smallest numbers when small groups work in relation to their larger hosts. The strength of Al Qaeda, for example, often lies in working with larger organizations like the Tablighi Jamaat. Recruits are at times drawn from the nominally quietest, nonviolent, and nonpolitical Tablighi Jamaat to serve the destructive goals of more violent and militant groups while the former groups are seen as providing the indoctrination and

14 Page 10 Workshop Discussion Summary resources laying the foundations for this future trajectory of intolerance and violence. However, it was emphasized that becoming a Tablighi by no means inherently equated with becoming a radical or fanatic.

15 Page 11 Panelist Biographies PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES Rommel C. Banlaoi is Executive Director of the Philippine Institute for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR). Prior to joining PIPVTR, he was a professor of political science at the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP). He has been a visiting scholar, research fellow, professor, lecturer, or instructor at a number of institutions including the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, and the Faculty of Law at Leiden University, the Netherlands. Mr. Banlaoi is editor, author, or co-author of five books, including War on Terrorism in Southeast Asia (2004), two monographs, and numerous refereed articles and book chapters. Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid is a Senior Lecturer in political science at the School of Distance Education (SDE), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, Malaysia. He studied at Oxford and Leeds universities before receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, in His main interest is in the field of political Islam and his areas of expertise include Malaysia and regional Islamism in Southeast Asia. Dr. Hamid has presented papers at numerous international conferences, and he has published in such journals as Indonesia and Malay World (London), The Islamic Quarterly (London), Asian Studies Review (Brisbane), and Islamic Studies (Islamabad). In September 2008, Dr. Hamid will become a Visiting Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore. Noorhaidi Hasan is Associate Professor at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Dr. Hasan s research interests include various manifestations of political Islam in contemporary Indonesia and other Muslim-populated countries in Southeast Asia. His areas of expertise include transnational Salafism in Indonesia. He has an MA from Leiden University (1999), MPhil from the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (2000), and Ph.D. from Utrecht University (2005). He is the author of Laskar Jihad: Islam, Militancy and the Quest for Identity in Post-New Order Indonesia (2006), which is based on his doctoral dissertation. Alexander Horstmann is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Ethnology, Westphalian Wilhelms-University of Munster, and concurrently affiliated as Associate with the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Passau, Germany. His interests include anthropology and sociology of Southeast Asia (especially the Malay Peninsula); religious dynamics; border studies; inter-ethnic relations and violence. His areas of expertise include Tablighi ties between South and Southeast Asia. Dr. Horstmann is coordinator of the academic network Religious Dynamics in Southeast Asia which is funded by the German Research Foundation. Joseph C. Liow is Head of Research and Associate Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research interests include Muslim politics in Southeast Asia with an emphasis on Malaysia and Thailand; foreign policy and internal conflicts in Southeast Asia; Malaysian domestic politics; and the Islamization of resistance in Thailand and the Philippines. Dr. Liow is the coordinator of the Contemporary Islam Program at RSIS. His recent publications include Muslim Resistance in Southern Thailand and Southern Philippines: Religion, Ideology, and Politics (2006). Dr. Liow has two books currently in press: Islam, Reform, and Education in Southern Thailand: Tradition

16 Page 12 Panelist Biographies and Transformation (Singapore: ISEAS); and Piety and Politics: The Shifting Contours of Islamism in Contemporary Malaysia (New York: Oxford University Press). Peter Mandaville is Associate Professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs and Co-Director of the Center for Global Studies at George Mason University. His research interests include Islam and globalization, theories of cosmopolitanism, and global development. Much of Dr. Mandaville s recent work has focused on the comparative study of religious authority and social movements in the Muslim world. His recent publications include Global Political Islam (2007); Transnational Muslim Politics: Reimagining the Umma (2001); and several co-edited volumes and anthologies such as Globalizing Religions (forthcoming). Farish A. Noor is a Malaysian author and researcher currently attached to Zentrum Moderner Orient (Centre for Modern Oriental Studies) in Berlin, Germany. He is also a Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His previous posts include Affiliated Fellow, Bureau of Nation-Building and National Security, Institute for Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia. His areas of expertise include Islamist networks in Southeast Asia and their linkages to South Asian movements. He is currently working on a project that examines the Islamic instruction of Malaysian and Indonesian students in India and Pakistan and the application of their knowledge in their home countries. Dietrich Reetz is a Senior Research Fellow at the Zentrum Moderner Orient and Senior Lecturer of political science at the Free University Berlin. He has also been a principle investigator for political science and South Asia at the Graduate School of Muslim Cultures and Societies at Free University since Dr. Reetz has been involved in a number of projects focused on South Asian Islam, including Bridging the gap: Blending Islamic and secular education in new school projects in India and Pakistan ( ); The role of South Asian Islam in the Islamic World ( ); and The Islamic missionary movement of the Tablighi Jamaat in India and Pakistan and its vision of society ( ). Dr. Reetz is the author of Islam in the Public Sphere: Religious Groups in India, (2006). Ali Riaz is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University. He has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Hawaii, and a background in journalism having worked as Producer and Senior Broadcast Journalist for the BBC. His research interests include Islamist politics, South Asian politics, and the political economy of the media. Dr. Riaz s publications include Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Complex Web (2008); Unfolding State: The Transformation of Bangladesh (2005); and God Willing: The Politics of Islamism in Bangladesh (2004). His forthcoming book is entitled Faithful Education: Madrassah in South Asia (Summer, 2008). Animesh Roul is a co-founder and, presently, the Executive Director of research at the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict, New Delhi. He is involved with independent think tanks, media houses, and policy organizations in India and abroad, and contributes articles regularly to web portals, newspapers, and scholarly journals. Previously, Mr. Roul worked as a research associate at the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management. Mr. Roul holds an MA in modern Indian history, and MPhil from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru

17 Page 13 Panelist Biographies University, New Delhi. He specializes in Islamic fundamentalism, WMD terrorism, armed conflict, and issues relating to arms control and proliferation in South Asia.

18 Workshop Invitation NBR-RSIS Singapore Discussion Workshop, June 26, 2008 : Movements, Networks, and Conflict Dynamics The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), in partnership with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), is convening an invitation-only discussion workshop in Singapore to explore the landscape of transnational Islam in South and Southeast Asia and assess its implications for these regions sociopolitical futures. Workshop Agenda and Précis Background Events in recent years have drawn considerable attention to the growing importance of transnational Muslim networks in the political and conflict dynamics of South and Southeast Asia. While much analysis has focused on militant groups such as Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah, other radical Islamist groups (e.g., Hizb ut- Tahrir), broad-based ideologies (e.g., the Muslim Brotherhood movement), and even predominantly quietist networks (e.g., Jamaat al-tabligh and various Sufi brotherhoods) also exert significant social and political influence. Framework Workshop panelists will identify major Muslim actors (groups, networks, political parties, personalities) in South and Southeast Asia and assess their evolving roles; the ways in which they organize and operate; and their relationship to the political environments in which they are active. Panelists will discuss transnational Islam as it manifests in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan; When Thursday, June 26, 2008 Where Traders Hotel The Gallery, Level 2 1A Cuscaden Road Singapore T: (65) Click here for directions Registration Please RSVP to Torrey Goad by Thursday, June 5 Conference Organizers The National Bureau of Asian Research Main Office 1215 Fourth Ave., Ste Seattle, WA Tel: +1 (206) Fax: +1 (206) S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

19 Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Exploring the relationship between local conflicts and transnational movements, panelists will evaluate the impact of such movements on regional conflict dynamics and assess the prospects for regional conflict resolution. Block S4, Level B4 Nanyang Avenue Singapore Tel: Fax: Space is limited. To reserve your seat, please RSVP by Thursday, June 5 to Torrey Goad at tgoad@nbr.org or (206) , ext Please contact Torrey Goad with any questions you may have regarding this event. NBR is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization devoted to bridging the policy, academic, and business communities with advanced policy-relevant research on Asia. NBR does not take policy positions, but rather sponsors studies that promote the development of effective and far-sighted policy.

20 NBR-RSIS DISCUSSION WORKSHOP TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA: MOVEMENTS, NETWORKS, AND CONFLICT DYNAMICS The Traders Hotel, The Gallery, Level 2 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore THURSDAY, JUNE 26, :45AM-5:10PM AGENDA 8:45AM-9:00AM 9:00AM-9:10AM 9:10AM-9:30AM 9:30AM-9:50AM 9:50AM-10:10AM 10:10AM-11:10AM 11:10AM-11:20AM 11:20AM-1:20PM REGISTRATION WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION Joseph C. Liow, The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore Roy Kamphausen, The National Bureau of Asian Research, U.S.A SETTING THE STAGE: TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN ASIA Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, U.S.A ISLAMIST NETWORKS AND MAINSTREAM POLITICS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA Farish Noor, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore TRANSNATIONAL IDEOLOGIES AND ACTORS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA Alexander Horstmann, University of Passau, Germany DISCUSSION AND Q&A Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, U.S.A BREAK TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH ASIA 11:20AM-11:40AM 11:40AM-12:00PM 12:00PM-12:20PM 12:20PM-1:20PM TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN PAKISTAN Dietrich Reetz, Zentrum Moderner Orient, Germany TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN BANGLADESH Ali Riaz, Illinois State University, U.S.A TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN INDIA Animesh Roul, Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict, India IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION: DISCUSSION AND Q&A Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, U.S.A

21 1:20PM-2:20PM 2:20PM-4:40PM 2:20PM-2:40PM 2:40PM-3:00PM 3:00PM-3:20PM 3:20PM-3:40PM 3:40PM-3:50PM 3:50PM-4:50PM 4:50PM-5:00PM 5:00PM-5:10PM LUNCH TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BREAK TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN INDONESIA Noorhaidi Hasan, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University of Yogyakarta, Indonesia TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN MALAYSIA Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, University Sains Malaysia, Malaysia TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN THE PHILIPPINES Rommel C. Banlaoi, Philippine Institute for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Philippines TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN THAILAND Joseph Liow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION: DISCUSSION AND Q&A Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, U.S.A CONCLUDING REMARKS Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, U.S.A WORKSHOP WRAP-UP Roy Kamphausen, The National Bureau of Asian Research, U.S.A Joseph C. Liow, The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore

22 NBR-RSIS DISCUSSION WORKSHOP TRANSNATIONAL ISLAM IN SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA: MOVEMENTS, NETWORKS, AND CONFLICT DYNAMICS The Traders Hotel, Temasek I, Level 2 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008, 8:45AM-5:10PM BACKGROUND Events in recent years have drawn considerable attention to the growing importance of transnational Muslim networks in the political and conflict dynamics of South and Southeast Asia. While much analysis has focused on militant groups such as Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah, other radical Islamist groups (e.g., Hizb ut-tahrir), broad-based ideologies (e.g., the Muslim Brotherhood movement), and even predominantly quietist networks (e.g., Jama at al-tabligh and various Sufi brotherhoods) also exert significant social and political influence. PURPOSE Building on its past and current initiatives on Muslim Asia, The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), in partnership with The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), is convening a oneday, invitation-only, discussion workshop on : Movements, Networks, and Conflict Dynamics. Drawing on research for an ongoing NBR study, workshop panelists will explore the landscape of transnational Islam in South and Southeast Asia and assess its implications for these regions sociopolitical futures. NBR will publish papers emerging from this study in a peer-reviewed, edited volume. FRAMEWORK Workshop panelists will identify major Muslim actors (groups, networks, political parties, personalities) in South and Southeast Asia and assess their evolving roles; the ways in which they organize and operate; and their relationship to the political environments in which they are active. Panelists will discuss transnational Islam as it manifests in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan; Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Exploring the relationship between local conflicts and transnational movements, panelists will evaluate the impact of such movements on regional conflict dynamics and assess the prospects for regional conflict resolution. ORGANIZERS The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., dedicated to informing and strengthening policy. NBR conducts advanced research on politics and security, economics and trade, and health and societal issues, with emphasis on those of interest to the United States. Drawing upon an extensive network of the world s leading specialists and leveraging the latest technology, NBR bridges the academic, business, and policy arenas. For further information about this study and/or other NBR Muslim Asia initiatives, please contact Mahin Karim, Senior Project Director, NBR (mkarim@nbr.org; )

23 The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) is a leading research and graduate teaching institution in strategic and international affairs in the Asia-Pacific region. Based at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, RSIS provides a rigorous graduate education with a strong practical emphasis; and conducts policy-relevant research in defense, national security, international relations, strategic studies and diplomacy. RECENT PUBLICATIONS NBR: Shamshad Akhtar, Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Islamic Finance: Global Trends and Challenges, NBR Analysis 18.4 (March 2008) Robert W. Hefner, Bridget Welsh, Ann Marie Murphy, Muslim Professional Associations and Politics in Southeast Asia, NBR Analysis 18.3(March 2008) Emile A. Nakhleh, Keiko Sakurai, Michael Penn, Islam in Japan: A Cause for Concern? in Asia Policy 5 (January 2008) Christine Fair, Militant Recruitment in Pakistan: A New Look at the Militancy-Madrasah Connection, in Asia Policy 4 (July 2007) Linell E. Cady, Sheldon W. Simon (eds.), Religion and Conflict in South and Southeast Asia: Disrupting Violence, Routledge, 2007 Joseph C. Liow, International Jihad and Muslim Radicalism in Thailand? in Asia Policy 2 (July 2006) Eric M. McGlinchey, Islamic Leaders in Uzbekistan, in Asia Policy 1 (January 2006) RSIS: Farish Noor, Thinking the Unthinkable: The Modernization and Reform of Islamic Higher Education in Indonesia, RSIS Working Papers No. 152 (February 2008) Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, The Islamic Opposition in Malaysia: New Trajectories and Directions? RSIS Working Papers No. 151 (February 2008) Umej Bhatia, Forgetting Osama bin Munqidh, Remembering Osama bin Laden: The Crusades in Modern Muslim Memory, RSIS Monograph No. 12 (2008) Joseph C. Liow, Muslim Resistance in Southern Thailand and Southern Philippines: Religion, Ideology, and Politics, Washington DC: East-West Center, 2006 Muhammad Haniff Bin Hassan, Unlicensed to Kill: Countering Imam Samudra s Justification for the Bali Bombing, Peace Matters, 2006