The 2026 Indonesia Update will explore the relationship between Islam and diversity in today’s Indonesia through a wide lens aimed at a few specific themes.
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.
Program and Registration
A draft program will be released in May, and registration will open in June.
About the Indonesia Update
The Indonesia Update is the largest annual conference on Indonesian society outside of Indonesia and dates back to 1983. Held in September, it is organised by the ANU Indonesia Project in collaboration with the ANU Department of Political and Social Change. This year marks the 43rd annual Indonesia Update conference.
The Indonesia Updates are designed to provide comprehensive overviews of developments in Indonesia and to present wide-ranging discussions on a theme of particular interest each year. They cater to an audience that includes government officials, academics, teachers, members of business and non-government organisations, students and others. Each year, an expert group of speakers from Indonesia, Australia and elsewhere is assembled. The Indonesia Update is structured to encourage discussion and questions from the audience. The Update proceedings will appear in the Indonesia Update series. Since 1994, the proceedings have been published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, in collaboration with The Australian National University.
Event Speakers
Eva Nisa
Associate Professor Eva Nisa is an anthropologist and Islamic studies scholar at ANU. Her research explores religion, gender, youth, economy, and digital life in Muslim societies. Trained at Al-Azhar University, she is author of Face-veiled Women in Contemporary Indonesia and has published 60+ works. She is an award-winning teacher and ASAA Vice President.
Julian Millie
Julian Millie is Professor of Indonesian Studies at Monash University. His research explores the social and political meaning of Islamic practice in Indonesia, with ethnographic work in West Java. He has led major projects on preaching, pedagogy, and intercession, and has published widely, including recent books and journal issues. He's a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.