Religious and cultural diversity is a global reality. In Indonesia, we live not only by the ways we understand and practice our religions but also by the fact that we are bounded in a national citizenship. Religions have inspired much social and cultural expressions of Indonesia, but are also very much shaped by the cultural diversity and socio-political situations of the country. This research cluster examine the complex relationships between religion, the state and civil society, which particularly refers to Indonesian experience in this present era of democratic development.

Religions and the state both claim that they are the most effective agents for creating a truly civil society, but recent years have seen dramatic changes in the nature of the state in Indonesia, and at the same time a heightening in the demands of religious communities in the country. We will explore the positive aspects of civil society and also look at alternative models of popular participatory in democracy after Reformasi.

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