Constitution, Civil Society and the Fight against Radicalism: The Experience of Indonesia and Austria (HAKI)

by: Asfa Widiyanto

ABSTRACT
The German scholar Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde (b. 1930) is reported to have
said that “the free secular state lives on premises that it cannot itself guarantee”.
These premises include the morality, commitment to public order and the like. In
this train of thought, we may say that the constitution is in need of strong civil
society so as to maintain the well-being of the state. This article employs
documents, observation and interviews to highlight the experience of Indonesia
and Austria in minimizing radicalism. The first concern of this paper deals with
the interplays between constitution and civil society in eradicating radical
tendencies within Indonesian and Austrian society, most particularly within the
Muslim communities of these respective countries. The second concern of the
paper delves in which ways expressions of Islam in Indonesia and Austria
contribute to the making of peace in the respective societies. Islam is recognized
as religion in both countries. The notions of “European Islam” and “Indonesian
Islam” are believed to shape the current-state of eradicating radicalism in the
two countries.
Keywords : Constitution, civil society, radicalism, Indonesian Islam, European
Islam.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311911309_Constitution_Civil_Society_and_the_Fight_Against_Radicalism_The_Experience_of_Indonesia_and_Austria