The jihad archipelago: Towards a more inclusive reimagining of religious pluralism and Islamic “terrorism” in island Southeast Asia

Abstract

This thesis traces the historical development of Islamic movements in island Southeast Asia, focusing on Indonesia and the southern Philippines. It begins with the Islamization of the region through trade, migration, and localized integration between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. From the early modern period to the age of colonial rule, Islamic authority became increasingly entangled with resistance against European powers. In Indonesia, movements evolved from anti-colonial struggles into organized political expressions such as Sarekat Islam, and later into militant formations like Darul Islam. In the Philippines, Islam persisted through the Moro sultanates before confronting American imperial consolidation. The study follows these developments into the post-independence era, when transnational networks emerged under groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah. A local case study of Poso, Central Sulawesi, provides insight into how regional dynamics, historical memory, and cultural affiliations—particularly those rooted in Luwu and Bugis traditions—shaped patterns of radicalization and conflict. By placing localized phenomena within a broader historical framework, the thesis argues that contemporary Islamic extremism cannot be understood apart from the long arc of regional Islamic history, postcolonial discontent, and evolving notions of statehood and legitimacy.