Semarang (08/04) – The Department of Political and Government Studies (DPIP) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Diponegoro (Undip), hosted a General Lecture titled “Contemporary Social Debates in Islamic Studies” on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the Senate Meeting Room, 2nd Floor of Building A, FISIP Undip Tembalang Campus. The event emphasized the importance of an in-depth understanding of social and political movements in Indonesia and other Muslim-majority countries to strengthen theoretical frameworks and practical capacities in addressing contemporary challenges. The lecture featured Prof. Stephane Lacroix from Sciences Po, Paris as the keynote speaker and Dr. Drs. Muhammad Adnan, M.A. from DPIP FISIP Undip as discussant.

The event was attended by the Dean of FISIP Undip, Dr. Drs. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin., the Head of the Department of Political and Government Studies, Dr. Nur Hidayat, S.Sos., M.Si., the Head of the International Affairs Unit (UUI) of FISIP Undip, Bangkit A. Wiryawan, S.Sos., M.A., Ph.D., along with faculty members and students from FISIP Undip.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Teguh Yuwono emphasized that this event represents an important part of the faculty’s internationalization efforts. “This is one of our important activities during the year, because now, our faculty, our university, is going to be a part of a world-class university, which is promoting and providing opportunities for everybody to contact and interact,” he stated. He added that FISIP Undip is committed to providing space for students to actively discuss and engage at the global level. He also highlighted the relevance of this lecture’s theme to Indonesia’s context as one of the world’s most populous Muslim countries.

In his presentation, Prof. Stephane Lacroix examined three main debates in contemporary Islamic studies from a social science perspective: the role of text versus context in understanding socio-political manifestations of Islam, local versus global dynamics in religious movements, and the influence of colonial legacies versus postcolonial approaches. He critiqued the essentialist approaches advocated by figures like Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington for neglecting individual agency and social complexity.

“What we need is an approach that seriously considers both religiosity and social science simultaneously, rather than choosing one side while ignoring the other,” stressed Prof. Lacroix. He also emphasized the importance of sensitivity to local contexts in understanding the globalization of Islam, as well as the need to deconstruct Orientalist narratives of Islamic intellectual history.

Responding to the presentation, Dr. Muhammad Adnan raised issues concerning the relationship between religion and politics. He noted a gap between Islamic teachings and Muslim behaviour in socio-political life. “So there is a gap between the Islamic teachings and Muslim behaviours or Muslim culture or Muslim traditions,” he observed. He also touched on the diversity of Islamic thought, theological differences, the development of Islamic studies in Indonesia, and the relationship between textual interpretation and radicalization trends in modern Muslim societies.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A session between faculty members, students, and Prof. Lacroix. The participants’ enthusiasm reflected a strong interest in contemporary issues in Islamic and political studies, opening space for constructive cross-cultural discussion that enriched academic perspectives.

Contributor & Translator:
Nur Inayah