ISEAS Conference by Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme

Contemporary Islam in Southeast Asia Amid Geopolitical Change

Date: 2 – 3 September 2025

Time: Day 1 - 09.00 am to 05.00 pm (Singapore time)

Day 2 - 09.30 am to 04.30pm (Singapore time)

Venue: ISEAS Seminar Room 1 & 2

About the Conference

This conference examines contemporary interactions between Muslims in Southeast Asia and the external world. While it is most interested in the last two decades, the conference also examines the evolution of these interactions in the previous two centuries which coincided with European colonialism (between the 19th to mid-20th century), the Islamic reformist movement (early 20th century), the Islamic resurgence movement (1970s–90s) and the current post-Covid-19 globalization and digitization era. The conference will focus on current geopolitical trends, namely the US-China competition and their interest in engaging Southeast Asian societies; the rivalry in the Gulf between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey; tensions between ideologies such as Salafi-Wahhabism, Ikhwanul Muslimin (Muslim Brotherhood) and Shi’ism; and the role of Western societies in developing progressive Islam and their impact on gender, liberal, and capitalistic thinking. The conference also uncovers the impact of these geopolitical events on Muslims in maritime Southeast Asia, with particular focus on Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Moreover, migration and travel of the Muslim middle class from the region has also encouraged engagement from new players in the Asia Pacific, namely China, South Korea and Japan.

The conference will be held on-site at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

 To attend the event and other details, please open the link:

https://www.iseas.edu.sg/mec-events/contemporary-islam-in-southeast-asia-amid-geopolitical-change/

 IRSEA and ISEAS have agreed to enter into a relationship of cooperation.