Mapping Muslim politics in Southeast Asia after September 11

Abstract

The events of September 11 left an indelible mark on the world. It made transnational terrorism a reality for states and societies alike. It raised new questions and resurfaced old ones regarding international security and state-to-state relations. September 11 also left a lasting impact on Muslim communities around the world including in Southeast Asia. Muslims were faced with renewed questions about their religion and of their relationship to the state. Muslim politics became increasingly a horizontal contestation of meanings and representations as well as a vertical negotiation with the secular state. This article looks at the trajectory of Muslim politics in Southeast Asia after the events of 9/11. It argues that Muslim politics in Southeast Asia had become more complex and dense prior to September 11 2001. However, 9/11 has complicated this process by directing state policies in a singular direction. It suggests that an increasingly centralized and coercive approach to Muslim politics will, in fact, undermine the very objective of dampening international Islamic terrorism.