Title: Great Expctations: Hindu Revival Movements in Java, Indonesia.Submitted by: Dr. Thomas Reuter, Anthropology Programme, Deptartment of Geography & Environmental Studies, Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne, AustraliaHindu empires had flourished in Java for a millennium until they were replaced by expanding Islamic polities in the 15th century, setting the stage for Indonesia becoming the world’s largest Muslim nation. In the 1970s, however, a Hindu revival movement began to sweep across the archipelago. Hinduism is gaining additional popularity at this time of national crisis, most notably in Java, the political heart of Indonesia. Based on preliminary ethnographic research in five communities with major Hindu temples, this paper explores the social dynamics and historical context of Hindu revivalism in Java. Expectations of a great crisis at the dawn of new golden age among followers of the Hindu revival movement are an expression of utopian prophesies and political hopes more widely shared among contemporary Indonesians, expectations which are set to shape the prospects of Indonesia’s fledgling democracy. The paper will reflect on the historical conditions under which utopian movements may incite violent social conflict or serve a positive role in the creation or maintenance of a democratic society. Return to Abstracts menuCarol Burnett Phone: 61 - 3 - 9349 1899 Email: c.burnett@asialink.unimelb.edu.au
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