Various parties are still much misunderstood things in Arab culture as something that comes from the teachings of Islam, says Professor of Governance Studies at Columbia University, Alfred Stepan.
"Political activists, journalists, and even professors sometimes incorrectly equate Islam with Arab culture," he said, in a seminar paper on "Religion, Secularism, and Democracy" held in Jakarta, on Tuesday.
According to Stepan, the various parties have even suggested that there is no democracy in a Muslim country in the Arab world, which resulted in the mistaken impression that there are no Muslims living in a democratic regime.
In fact, he added, more than 600 million Muslims in the world live in a democratic country or a democratic state approach.
The figure, he said, the average obtained from non-Arab countries such as the 120 million Muslims in Pakistan, 120 million Muslims in India, 110 million Muslims in Bangladesh, 65 million Muslims in Turkey, 20 million Muslims in the Western world, and 190 million Muslims in Indonesia.
"Great country where the theorists of democratization is currently looking at very carefully is Indonesia," said Stepan.
Author of the book "Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation" it said Indonesia's efforts towards democracy faces great challenges, such as the demands from different regions for decentralization and military organizations are always centrally involved in national politics since the 1940s.
However, Stepan said that although Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country, does not mean that Indonesia will likely fail or the destruction of democracy.
He argued during the New Order of Islam is not the main basis of the strength of Soeharto. In fact, a lot of analysis during the New Order did not consider the Islamic fundamentalists as a challenge for democracy in the future.
Muslims in Indonesia, he added, often more moderate and pluralistic than Arab countries in the Middle East.
"Muslim women in Indonesia had a significant career and personal freedom is more than the (Muslim women) in the Middle East," said Stepan pointed out.
"Political activists, journalists, and even professors sometimes incorrectly equate Islam with Arab culture," he said, in a seminar paper on "Religion, Secularism, and Democracy" held in Jakarta, on Tuesday.
According to Stepan, the various parties have even suggested that there is no democracy in a Muslim country in the Arab world, which resulted in the mistaken impression that there are no Muslims living in a democratic regime.
In fact, he added, more than 600 million Muslims in the world live in a democratic country or a democratic state approach.
The figure, he said, the average obtained from non-Arab countries such as the 120 million Muslims in Pakistan, 120 million Muslims in India, 110 million Muslims in Bangladesh, 65 million Muslims in Turkey, 20 million Muslims in the Western world, and 190 million Muslims in Indonesia.
"Great country where the theorists of democratization is currently looking at very carefully is Indonesia," said Stepan.
Author of the book "Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation" it said Indonesia's efforts towards democracy faces great challenges, such as the demands from different regions for decentralization and military organizations are always centrally involved in national politics since the 1940s.
However, Stepan said that although Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country, does not mean that Indonesia will likely fail or the destruction of democracy.
He argued during the New Order of Islam is not the main basis of the strength of Soeharto. In fact, a lot of analysis during the New Order did not consider the Islamic fundamentalists as a challenge for democracy in the future.
Muslims in Indonesia, he added, often more moderate and pluralistic than Arab countries in the Middle East.
"Muslim women in Indonesia had a significant career and personal freedom is more than the (Muslim women) in the Middle East," said Stepan pointed out.
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