Tens of academics consisting of students, researchers, and lecturers from universities in the U.S., Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia gathered at UGM to attend The 5th Annual Conference on Muslim World 2017. It last from 18-19 September at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM to discuss the Muslim world and democracy in great detail.
The conference is a project organised by UGM’s International Relations study programme in cooperation with The Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture (Program in Islamic, Turkish, and Near-Eastern Studies) Washington College and Creative Learning, a non-profit NGO from Washington DC. The event is themed Muslim World that specifically reveals the relations between the Muslim world and democracy.
Event coordinator, Yunizar Adiputera, M.A., said the topic on democracy had been chosen as such because Islam and democracy are often imagined as two opposing entities. This makes the topic interesting to study along with the demands to re-evaluate the relations between both sides.
“Besides, Indonesia is the place that is deemed as appropriate to see such phenomenon further, bearing in mind Indonesia is the largest Muslim democracy in the world,” he said on Monday (18/9) on the sidelines of the event.
This conference is expected to be the forum to explore discussion related to topics in Islamic world studies and democracy. As many as 21 papers will be presented into six main topics: the dark side of democracy, Islam and politics, Muslim as minority, Islam and identity politics, democracy and ideology, and democracy consolidation.
The conference will present keynote speakers, Professor Muqtedar Khan from University of Delaware, where he will submit a topic on Islam and democracy after the Arab Spring on Monday evening (18/9).