ABSTRACT
Are Indonesian Muslims exceptionally tolerant? Drawing on a synthesis of new and existing data sets, this chapter argues that contrary to common assumptions, Indonesian Muslims are not more tolerant than other Muslims, nor does Indonesia face a crisis of intolerance as a result of democratization and decentralization. Instead, Indonesian Muslims are about as tolerant as one would expect for an underdeveloped, newly democratic country with low levels of higher education. Within Indonesia, individuals with greater education and income are more tolerant than those with less. Those Muslims from more religiously heterogeneous ethnic groups tend to be more tolerant than those from more homogenous ethnic groups. Indonesian Muslims tend to be less tolerant than non-Muslim Indonesians. The Indonesian state is different from many Muslim-majority states in that it is relatively less involved in regulating religion. Lastly, Indonesia is distinct in being home to mass Islamic organizations whose leaders are more tolerant than one would expect based on global trends, are highly engaged politically, and have been active in promoting the rights of religious minorities. Future research should further investigate what tolerance means to members of these organizations and whether their influence is fading.
