The Islamic revival and women's political subjectivity in Indonesia

SynopsisThe global Islamic revival is producing new kinds of Muslim political subjectivities. But what does the revitalization of religion in the public sphere mean for women? This article examines how Islamic piety can be a resource for Muslim women's political mobilization in Indonesia. I argue that the redefinition of Islamic piety as public practice helps to promote women's participation in the Indonesian public sphere. While some activists use Islamic discourses to contest gender inequality, others seek to contribute to the Islamization of Indonesia. Both visions are influenced by the conviction that piety is a public matter, but they reveal deep divisions among Muslims about how the concepts of public and private should be understood. I suggest that the new public piety, influenced by the Islamic revival and neoliberalism, has empowered many women activists, but the political reforms they seek to achieve are diverse and not necessarily egalitarian.