South and Southeast Asia: deep diversity under strain

Abstract

South and Southeast Asia is characterised by an historic and deep religious diversity and countries in the region have also been shaped by colonialism. Focusing on the cases of India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, this contribution explores the governance of religious diversity and conceptions of secularism influenced by–but quite distinct from–those found in the West. It assesses how, upon independence from colonial rule, a core concern in all three was a settlement that reflected the history and presence of deep religious diversity. The contribution then explores how these settlements have since come under strain as majorities in each country have more aggressively asserted their dominance. Since independence, settlements that aimed to secure rights for the multiple religious groups in each country have been tested. A trend in all three countries is a rise in forms of more exclusive majoritarian nationalisms tied to the dominant religion. This trend presents serious implications for minority faiths as well as for ideas of freedom of religion and the place and role of religion in society and politics. The contribution suggests that we might be witnessing an erosion of the post-independence settlements such that the mode of governance itself is shifting.