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Call for Papers Theme: Islam and Democracy in Comparative Perspectives Type: International Conference Institution: Al-Jamiah: Journal of Islamic Studies Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta Location: Yogyakarta (Indonesia) Date: 26.–27.11.2011 Deadline: 10.11.2011 __________________________________________________ As contemporarily engulfing the most part of the Muslim world, democracy has come to the ‘fourth wave’ particularly in the Middle East, from Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, to Libya, where the regimes had manipulated religion for the sake of political power and were reluctant to impose principles of democracy upon their own nations. In these countries, the reform movements took a firm stance against the state as activists, scholars, religious elites and lay persons going hand in hand in demanding the rulers to step down. For them, democracy and good governance is deemed as the solution for the diseases suffering the nations. Beyond the above-mentioned political transition, from theological point of view, democracy has been debated and generated between the pro and cons. The ongoing debate of the compatibility of Islam and democracy moreover is exacerbated by the historical facts that democracy is often defined as a mere ballot box in the election process, ignoring democratic principles and values. In addition, the failure to implement them leads to the more damaging consequences. To mention but a few, corruption and conflict of interests among groups triggered by this public opening are still unsolved, particularly given the current democratisation process, as seen in the last decade in Indonesia. Within this new contemporary development, Al-Jami’ah, an international journal of Islamic Studies, the State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, cordially announced the call for papers presented at the international conference “Islam and Democracy in Comparative Perspectives.” We invite scholars, researches, and activists to present their papers resulting from their investigation seen from as rich perspective as it can. In addition, the conference is aimed at shedding new light on the current democratisation in the Middle East in comparison to that happened in the 1998 Indonesia, down to what is happening after a more than a decade in Indonesia. Another issue that the conference would address is the significant roles of civil society and religious elites in the democratisation process. Topics of the conference will cover the following: - Debating Islam and Democracy, referring to theological basis of the debate and various Islamic thoughts with regard to democratic processes. Reading texts and presenting data from fieldworks are welcome. So is deep analysis of the current situation. - Islam and Democracy in contemporary politics, focusing on the existing patterns of democracy and representation in Muslim nations, institutional structures evolving across a broad range of regimes and the historical experiences of democratising politics. - Islam, Democracy, and Political Culture: looking at the patterns of civic engagement, community organisation, discourses of citizenship and political identity, social and political movements and political partisanship in the context of the evolution of democratic processes within Muslim communities and societies. The conference invites the submission of 300-words abstract and a short CV of the presenter to [email protected] or to [email protected]. These are due by 10 November 2011 and the official announcement for selected presenter will be on 13 November 2011. Some financial support for selected presenters' travel and lodging will be available. Venues and Date of Conference The conference will be held at the PAU Building, the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta on 26-27 November 2011. Contact: Al-Jamiah: Journal of Islamic Studies UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.journalaljamiah.com/index.php/en/upcoming-events/93-conf-islam-and-democracy __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
