The NBR Analysis is an occasional paper series that offers thought-provoking essays on the most important economic, political, and strategic issues in the Asia-Pacific region today.
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In this NBR Analysis, Dr. Zachary Abuza traces the development of Islamism from a “politically emasculated social phenomenon” to a counter-force to the state, which in the eyes of many Indonesians has failed to pursue economic and political reform. Dr. Abuza argues that Islamist political parties are effectively using public policy, while withdrawing overt references to Islam and sharia, to implement a social agenda that gradually erodes secular institutions. Emphasizing that radical groups expand their membership and support base primarily by deepening people’s religious devotion rather than their political ideology, he argues that understanding the Islamists’ religious worldview, which generally is not a priority of policy analysts, is nevertheless essential to the discussion of how to deal with them.
Muslims, Politics, and Violence in Indonesia: An Emerging Jihadist-Islamist Nexus? Zachary Abuza
Pakistani Partnerships with the United States: An Assessment Daniel Markey (Nov 09)
Shock of the New: Congress and Asia in 2009 Edward Gresser and Daniel Twining (Feb 09)
Post–September 11 Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations: Prospects for Counter-insurgency Cooperation Abdulkader H. Sinno and Rasul Bakhsh Rais (Dec 08)
Challenges Facing Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Ijaz Khan and Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema (Aug 08)
Aspects of Islamism in South and Southeast Asia Robert W. Hefner, Animesh Roul and Joseph Chinyong Liow (Aug 08)
Understanding China's New Sovereign Wealth Fund Eric G. Altbach and Michael H. Cognato (Jul 08)
Russian Energy Policy and Strategy Paul J. Saunders, Robert Legvold and Mikhail Kroutikhin (Jul 08)
Assessing Regional Reactions to China's Peaceful Development Doctrine Carlyle A. Thayer, Jae Ho Chung and Brahma Chellaney (Apr 08)
Muslim Professional Associations and Politics in Southeast Asia Robert W. Hefner, Ann Marie Murphy and Bridget Welsh (Mar 08)
Islamic Finance: Global Trends and Challenges Zeti Akhtar Aziz and Shamshad Akhtar (Mar 08)
Nuclear Asia: U.S. Policy in an Age of Proliferation Gary Samore and Mitchell B. Reiss (Mar 07)
Emerging Trends, Dormant Interest: Developments in Northeast Asian Politics Michael H. Armacost and Yukio Satoh (Jan 07)
U.S. Services Trade, Employment, and Competitiveness Robert Bednarzik and Brett Theodos (Dec 06)
Abe Shinzo and Japan's Change of Course Kenneth B. Pyle (Oct 06)
"Going Out": China's Pursuit of Natural Resources and Implications for the PRC's Grand Strategy Aaron L. Friedberg (Sep 06)
Information Technology: Advancing Global Health Craig Mundie (May 06)
China's Search for Energy Security: Implications for U.S. Policy Kenneth Lieberthal and Mikkal E. Herberg (Apr 06)
Congress and the Updating of the U.S.-China Relationship Rick Larsen and Mark Kirk (Dec 05)
The Globalization of Corporate China Friedrich Wu (Dec 05)
Whither U.S. -China Relations? Richard Baum, James A. Kelly, Kurt Campbell and Robert S. Ross (Dec 05)