Ethno-Religious Identity and Mobilization: Examining Framing Strategies of Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia in Malaysia

Kelesoglu A. N., Hooi K. Y., Sidhu J. S.

Contemporary Southeast Asia, cilt.46, sa.3, ss.435-475, 2024 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 46 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1355/cs46-3d
  • Dergi Adı: Contemporary Southeast Asia
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, ABI/INFORM, American History and Life, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, PAIS International, Political Science Complete, Public Administration Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, vLex, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.435-475
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Ethno-religious identity, Framing theory, Identity, Islamic movements, ISMA
  • Marmara Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

This article explores the intersection between identity, religion and social mobilization within Islamic movements, with a focus on the Muslim Solidarity Front (Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, or ISMA). It investigates ISMA’s strategic integration of ethnic and religious identities to mobilize support among the Malay-Muslim community within Malaysia’s pluralistic society. ISMA diverges from traditional Islamic proselytizing (dakwah) movements that emphasize “solidarity with the Muslims all around the world” by focusing on Malay-Muslim supremacy. Since its inception in 1997, ISMA has championed ethno-nationalism, advocated for Malay-Muslim primacy and denounced liberal and secular values, thereby challenging the country’s fragile ethnic and religious harmony. Using concepts from “frame theory”, such as “identity fields” and “core framing tasks”, this article examines ISMA’s discourse and shows how the movement strategically uses identity fields rooted in Islamic and nationalist ideologies to galvanize support for its ethno-nationalist agenda. By aligning collective identities with “framing tasks”, ISMA constructs narratives that weave Malaysia’s historical grievances with contemporary sociopolitical concerns. Its “discursive frames”, particularly its depiction of non-Malays as “internal outsiders”, pose significant risks to Malaysia’s social cohesion.