Book Review: Chinese Ways of Being Muslim: Negotiating Ethnicity and Religiosity in Indonesia

Hew , wai weng (2018) Book Review: Chinese Ways of Being Muslim: Negotiating Ethnicity and Religiosity in Indonesia. International Journal of Asia Pacific Studies (IJAPS), 14 (2). pp. 187-189. ISSN ISSN: 1823-6243

[img]
Preview
PDF
Download (253kB) | Preview

Abstract

The title of the book, Chinese Ways of Being Muslim: Negotiating Ethnicity and Religiosity in Indonesia itself self-explains its nature and contents. It is a continuity of the Identiti Cina Muslim di Malaysia: Persempadanan Perundingan dan Kacukan Budaya written by the same author, which focuses on the identity struggle and crisis of the Chinese Muslim community in Malaysia. Unlike the previous publication, this book has shifted from a mere focus on cultural and identity of Chinese Muslim community into a more comprehensive examination of all the social construction of Chinese Muslims from different sociological, economic, political and cultural dimensions, with a special focus on Chinese Muslim community(ies) in Indonesia. As the author of the book, Hew Wai Weng from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia, asserts in its foreword that despite the existence of signifcant literatures dealing with the issue of Chinese Muslims’ historical existence in Indonesia, especially in Java from the ffteenth and sixteenth century, and their role in Islamic propagation, they however do not really address the issue of cultural and politics of identity as presented in his book. The author also acknowledges that there are also many studies on the topic focusing specifcally on the cultural policy of the Suharto regime and the assimilation of Chinese Muslims. On the other hand, there have also been many studies conducted on the Chinese Muslim conversion experience and the difculties they faced after embracing Islam. Without denying the existing studies, research works and discussions on the issue of Chinese Muslims in Indonesia, the author nevertheless argues that most of the works were focusing on the elites of Chinese Muslims community(ies) in Indonesia, and neglecting the voices of ordinary Chinese Muslims.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics > P1-1091 Philology. Linguistics(General)
Divisions: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM Press) > International Journal of Asia Pacific Studies (IJAPS)
Depositing User: Mr Firdaus Mohamad
Date Deposited: 20 Aug 2018 02:03
Last Modified: 20 Aug 2018 02:03
URI: http://eprints.usm.my/id/eprint/41413

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Share