Category: Southeast Asian Studies
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The Veranda of Mecca: Faith, Peace, and the Remaking of Aceh after the Tsunami
A forthcoming book by Kamaruzzaman Bustamam Ahmad exploring how faith, memory, and peacebuilding remade Aceh after the 2004 tsunami and the 2005 Helsinki Peace Agreement. Coming soon on Amazon worldwide.
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Pustaka Al-Azhar: Preserving Patani’s Islamic Intellectual Heritage Through Jawi Manuscripts and Traditional Knowledge
During a journey from Songkhla to Kota Bharu on June 15, 2026, Prof. Kamaruzzaman Bustamam Ahmad visited Pustaka Al-Azhar, a small Islamic bookstore in Southern Thailand. What appeared to be an ordinary bookstore revealed a deeper story about the survival of Patani’s intellectual tradition. This essay explores how Arabic and Jawi books continue to preserve…
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The Evolution of Islamic Thought in the Malay World: Adaptation, Reform, and Political Awakening
This essay examines the historical trajectory of Islamic thought in the Malay world, revealing a distinctive pattern of adaptation, reform, and political engagement. From early intellectual connections with the Haramayn to the rise of reformist print culture and nationalist movements, Islamic discourse in Southeast Asia evolved through complex negotiations between local traditions and global influences.…
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China’s Economic Statecraft in ASEAN: Trade, BRI, and Strategic Leverage
China’s economic engagement with ASEAN has evolved into a sophisticated system of strategic leverage. Trade dominance, infrastructure expansion through the Belt and Road Initiative, currency maneuvering, and diaspora networks collectively form Beijing’s economic statecraft toolkit. While ASEAN benefits from market access and infrastructure financing, structural asymmetry creates vulnerabilities. This article examines the geopolitical implications of…
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Islam in Political Affairs: Islamic Thought, Intellectual Movements, and Government Policy in Indonesia and Malaysia
Islam has always been more than a matter of private belief in Southeast Asia—it is also a powerful force in shaping politics, intellectual life, and government policy. In Indonesia and Malaysia, the 1970s marked a turning point when Islamic thought splintered into diverse paths: political activism, liberal reinterpretation, and da‘wah movements. Intellectual groups redefined the…
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Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Networks, Field Research, and New Updates 2025
This article explores the evolution of terrorism in Southeast Asia through field research, from Jemaah Islamiyyah and Abu Sayyaf to Southern Thailand. Updated with 2025 data, it highlights new developments, intelligence dilemmas, and ongoing security challenges across the region.
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Muslim Zone in Southeast Asia: Islam, Ethno-Religious Conflict, and the Politics of Terrorism
This essay examines Southeast Asia as a “Muslim Zone” where Islam, Malay identity, colonial history, and the modern nation-state intersect in complex ways. Rather than reducing conflicts in Mindanao, Southern Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia to terrorism, the essay argues that these struggles must be read through deeper historical layers: Islamic kingdoms, colonial intervention, ethnic identity,…