Open AccessExplaining Religio-Political Tolerance Among Muslims: Evidence from Indonesia
Author(s) -
Saiful Mujani
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
studia islamika/studi islamika
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.149
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 2355-6145
pISSN - 0215-0492
DOI - 10.15408/sdi.v26i2.11237
Subject(s) - democracy , religiosity , politics , political freedom , scholarship , political science , world values survey , subject (documents) , political economy , sociology , law , library science , computer science
Once a fully free country according to Freedom House, Indonesia has declined to partly free in the last seven years, indicating that the largest Muslim democracy in the world is deconsolidating. The decrease of freedom in Indonesia is believed to be associated with intolerance toward religious minorities, specifically by Muslims toward non-Muslims. This study is designed to contribute to scholarship on this still understudied subject. My nation-wide public opinion survey verifies the claim that Muslims are intolerant in their daily and political lives. Religiosity as an explanation of intolerance is also verified. Intolerance may be reduced by Indonesia-specific factors of institutional engagement and Javanese culture. In addition, political engagement, political economy, law and order, and security conditions, education, and democratic values decrease intolerance. Political tolerance, crucial to democratic development, will be determined by these factors, among others. If they prevail over religion and religiosity, tolerance will improve, and vice versa.