Archive for February, 2011
Global Islam: Between Images and reality
Image source: asetow.wordpress.com
By Dr. Muhamad Ali
Globalization has made the world of Islam more heterogeneous than homogeneous. It continues to shape Islam identities and moralities, imagined or real, at both global and local levels. What is conceptually homogenous is Islam itself, but what it means differs.
Globalization in its broadest sense is not new, and early Islam normatively preached trans-racial, trans-ethnic solidarity of the community of the believers, although information technology today has made them even more aware of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Climate change can strain region’s security
Image source: dfg.ca.gov
By Evan A. Laksmana
FOLLOWING the recent ‘triple disaster’ in Indonesia – the flooding in Papua, the tsunami that hit the Mentawai islands, and the volcanic eruption in Central Java – some are wondering whether climate change will increase the intensity and frequency of similar events in the region.
The Singapore-based Economy and Environment Programme for South-east Asia (a project under the International Development Research Centre of Canada), for instance, has shown that the Read the rest of this entry »
Obama, Indonesia dan Karir Politik
Sumber gambar: voices.washingtonpost.com
Oleh Dr. Beni Bevly, San Francisco
Dari semua kunjungan kepala negara ke Indonesia, agaknya kunjungan Barack Obama, Presiden Amerika Serika (AS) pada 9 November 2010 mendapat tanggapan yang paling gegap gempita dari dalam negeri Indonesia. Tanggapan ini berkisar dari sentimental primordial, seperti agama hingga berlatar belakang ekonomi dan politik. Terlepas dari semua ini, susungguhnya apakah agenda Obama ke Indonesia dan negara-negara Asia lainnya?
Dari sisi Indonesia, kunjungan ini banyak menimbulkan nostalgia, harapan dan bahkan protes. Read the rest of this entry »
Keunikan Bisnis Berbasis Keluarga di AS
Sumber gambar: upcomingdiscs.com
Dr. Beni Bevly, San Francisco
Beberapa waktu yang lalu, ketika saya menghadiri seminar mengenai bisnis yang diselenggarakan oleh The National Council of Asian-American Business Associations (NCAABA) di San Francisco State University (SFSU), salah satu presenter-nya berkata dengan tersenyum nakal, “Here is what happens about family businesses. First generation builds it, second generation milks it, and third generation destroys it. What do you think?”
Pertanyaan di atas sengaja diajukan oleh presenter tersebut hanya dari sisi ekstrim supaya peserta seminar berpikir. Read the rest of this entry »
Lahir dari Rahim: Sebuah Teologi Profeminis Indonesia
Oleh P. Mutiara Andalas, S.J.[1]
Saat mencari judul buku yang dibedah hari ini, perbincangan dengan seorang rekan perempuan dari Indonesia yang mendalami teologi feminis berkelebat dalam benak. Ia dengan bangga memperlihatkan t-shirt The Vagina Monologues sambil menawarkan tiket pertunjukan yang semua pemerannya dari sebuah sekolah teologi Kristen di Berkeley. Meskipun akhirnya absen dari pertunjukan karena menghadiri acara lain, Eve Ensler mencuri perhatian sampai saya mengoleksi tulisan-tulisannya. Tuturan lugasnya pada bagian My Vagina is My Village memaku saya pada keterpukauan.
There is something between my legs. Read the rest of this entry »
Developed Indonesia and third world America
by Jennie S. Bev, Palo Alto
Indonesia is enjoying a rosy economy with a 6.3 percent GDP growth predicted in 2011. The United States’ economy, however, is slowing down rapidly with a predicted 2011 GDP growth of 2.5 percent.
Assuming optimized economic, political, and legislative environments at home and in Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, Nigeria and South Africa (MAVINS), Indonesia shall become a developed country by 2032.
On the contrary, assuming problems aren’t fixed properly, the United States may have become a third world country by that time. Read the rest of this entry »
Tipping point, terrorism and crimes against humanity
by Jennie S. Bev
It’s mind-boggling that the National Police have claimed they are one of the best police forces in the world in tackling terrorism and that the government has claimed it is an administration that governs a pluralistic country. Their claims are far from factual conditions. Otherwise many people wouldn’t be puzzled.
The Islam Defenders Front’s (FPI) acts of terror are rampant and have reached a point where religious minorities, including both non-Muslims and Muslims, have no place to stand and breathe. Recently, the places of worship and private residences of the Ahmadiyah Muslim sect have been ransacked, destroyed and burned. People have been abused physically, mentally, and emotionally. Read the rest of this entry »
Tatanan Perekonomian Dunia Pasca Amerika Serikat
Oleh Dr. Beni Bevly, San Francisco
Banyak para ahli yang memprediksikan kemunduran Amerika Serikat (AS) dari posisi nomor satu kekuatan ekonomi dunia dan munculnya kekuatan ekonomi baru. Bagaimana kemungkinan hal ini akan terjadi? Di manakah posisi Indonesia dalam tatanan perkonomian dunia pasca Amerika Serikat?
Perdebatan menurunnya kejayaan perekonomian AS akhirnya bermuara di sekitar opini mengenai munculnya atau akan munculnya kekuatan ekonomi tandingan AS dari kelompok negara BRIC dan MAVINS. Opini mengenai kemunculan BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, dan China) sebagai kekuatan ekonomi yang akan menebas AS, pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh Jim O’Neill, global economist dari Goldman Sachs, sedangkan MAVINS (Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nigeria, and South Africa) sebagai kekuatan ekonomi dunia layer ke dua yang juga akan menjadi pesaing AS dipopulerkan awal tahun ini oleh Vincent Fernando dan Joe Weisenthal dari Business Insider. Read the rest of this entry »
