K. S. Nathan and Mohammad Hashim Kamali, eds., Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2005. 362 pages.

The introduction, “Understanding Political Islam Post-September 11,” criticizes the inequality and militarism of western-dominated globalization and the violent responses of political Islam or radical Islamism. Clear definitions of these pivotal terms used throughout the collection would sharpen the argument about the particular kind of political uses of Islam that the authors view as a threat. The editors provide an adequate and enticing overview of this interesting collection of papers. However, it would be helpful to acknowledge that they focus on Malaysia and Indonesia, with the exception of one paper on the Philippines. Addressing the situation of Muslim minorities in the mainland Southeast Asian countries of Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, where they live under the hegemony of Buddhist or communist majorities, would add an important comparative dimension.

The book is divided into four theme-based parts. The first part focuses on the spread of Islam and doctrine in the region. Azyumardi Azra analyzes the doctrinal diversity of Sunni Muslim groups in Malaysia and Indonesia, including the recent upsurge of radical, puritanical groups. He concludes, contrary to several later chapters, that it is “terribly wrong to assume that these radical groups are influential in Southeast Asia” (p. 19). Johan H. Meulman studies controversies over the origins of Islam in Southeast Asia and argues for an approach that considers diverse factors and successive stages of its growth there. He also notes the varied transnationalism of liberal and radical Muslims in Indonesia. Carmen A. Abubakar makes a major contribution with her excellent historical overview, including the Filipinos’ early contacts with Muslims from other parts of insular Southeast Asia and the current period of Muslim struggle for autonomy and liberation from the Catholic-dominated state of the Philippines. Bahtiar Effendy provides a fine analysis of the emergence of Islamic banking in Indonesia under Suharto, and Mohamed Aslan Haneef describes how Islamic values have been an integral part of Malaysia’s economic development.