Indonesia Update 2026: Islamic diversity in Indonesia
About the 43rd Indonesia Update conference: Islamic diversity in Indonesia
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, is often celebrated as a model of peaceful coexistence. But this image is increasingly being questioned as Indonesia experiences the effects of the conservative turn emerging in domestic politics globally. Rising identity politics, online vilification of minorities, increasing levels of authoritarian governance and economic inequality are creating challenges to diversity both within Islamic society and the wider population.
The 2026 Indonesia Update will explore the relationship between Islam and diversity in today’s Indonesia through a wide lens aimed at four themes. ‘Embracing Differences’ will look at Indonesian concepts of diversity that underpin everyday coexistence. ‘Insisting on Difference’ will examine Islamic positions that identify danger and harm in difference, along with their effects for minority rights, educational choices and national policy. ‘Institutions’ will explore how organisations respond to and shape difference in civil society, the bureaucracy, politics and the private sector. ‘Mediating Difference’ will investigate digital culture, youth engagement, group relations, and the varying understandings of diversity promoted and debated in the media. The conference will acknowledge that Islam in Indonesia is both a platform for an ethics of inclusion and a site for its contestation and will ask what this means for the country’s future.
Convenors
The 2026 Indonesia update was convened by Associate Professor Eva Nisa (ANU School of Culture, History & Language) and Professor Julian Millie (Monash University). It was held in-person at ANU in Canberra and online on Friday 18 September 2026 - Saturday 19 September 2026.
Recordings
Day 1 - Friday 18 September 2026: Recording in English
Day 1 - Jumat 18 September 2026: Rekaman dalam Bahasa Indonesia
Day 2 - Saturday 19 September 2026: Recording in English
Day 2 - Sabtu 19 September 2026: Rekaman dalam Bahasa Indonesia
Mini Indonesia Update 2026
Following the main conference in Canberra, we also organised two Mini Indonesia Updates across several cities in Australia. The first Mini Update was held in Adelaide on 21 September 2026, co-hosted with the Institute for International Trade, Adelaide University, and featured a panel consisting of Firman Witoelar (ANU), Eva Nisa (ANU), Sherly Annavita, and Dr Achmad Shauki (Prospera). Moderated by Dr Harry Wardana.
On the same day, the second Mini Update took place in Melbourne in collaboration with Monash University, and featured a panel consisting of Jenny Gordon (ANU), Greg Fealy (ANU), Nava Nuraniyah (Macquaries University) and Vedi Hadiz (University of Melbourne). Moderated by Julian Millie.
Conference program and booklet
Extended program with speaker photos, bios and abstracts (50 page PDF)
Sessions and Slides
DAY 1 - Friday 18 September 2026
Opening address: Gordon de Brouwer Chancellor, ANU
Political update:
Speaker: Navhat ‘Nava’ Nuraniyah (Macquarie University). Slides here
Discussant: Dirk Tomsa (La Trobe University). Slides here
Economic update
Speaker: Jenny Gordon (The Austalian National University) and Firman Witoelar (The Australian National University).
Discussant: Dyah ‘Prita’ Pritadrajati (Lowy Institute). Slides here
Session 1. Keynote address
How Islamic is Indonesia
Greg Fealy (The Australian National University). Slides here
Session 2. Embracing Difference
Religious authority in Indonesia: Rethinking the ‘Habib Palsu’ controversy within the Ba’Alawi
Fatimah Husein (UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta). Slides here
Religious freedom, managed pluralism and the Prabowo administration
Ismatu Ropi (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta) and Farid F. Saenong (Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia). Slides here
Session 3. Insisting on Difference
Shari’atization and Its discontents: Negotiating morality and development in Aceh
Reza Idria (UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh). Slides here
Humour, power, and tolerance in digital interfaith dialogue
Rabiatul Adawiah (STAIN Majene and Monash University). Slides here
Session 4. Regulating Difference
Marriage at the crossroads: Faith, Adat, and the state in Eastern Indonesia
Atun Wardatun (Universitas Islam Negeri Mataram). Slides here
The Making if contemporary Kepercayaan: Recent shifts in Indonesian governance of religion and their implications
Zainal Bagir (Universitas Gadjah Mada). Slides here
DAY 2 - Saturday 19 September 2026
Session 5. Institutions
The Indonesian path of Islamic economy and finance: Contested governance and uneven implementation
Sutan Emir Hidayat (KNEKS and Universitas Gunadarma). Slides here
Patriarchy and Muslim women’s representation in Indonesia
Sally White (The Australian National University). Slides here
Negotiating diversity: Institutional pathways to organisational cohesion in NU and Muhammadiyah
Wahyuddin Halim (UIN Alauddin Makassar). Slides here
Session 6. Mediating Difference
What tolerance means for young Muslim web series communities in Indonesia
Andina Dwifatma (Universitas Katolik Atma Jaya). Slides here
Resistance to English language teaching in Indonesian Islamic education
Abdurrosyid (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta). Slides here
When diversity becomes content: Indonesian Muslim youth, social media, and the gap between exposure and encounter
Sherly Annavita (Indonesian youth commentator, public speaker and digital communicator). Slides here
Session 7. Keynote address
Indonesia and the global geopolitics of Muslim-majority countries
Speaker: Alwi Shihab (Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs 1999-2001, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare 2004-2005)
