N/A

Can religions help us work towards a common good? Can religions bring social justice? With their theological rhetoric, religions are expected to have the capacity to lead people to work for the common good. One rising phenomenon that actually showcases this is the rise of religious philanthropy in different countries especially in Southeast Asia. In fact, there is a growing scholarly body of knowledge on Islamic philanthropy in Indonesia. In this study, I explored Islamic philanthropy’s work on social justice promotion in Indonesia and the Philippines drawing on the political economy of civil society and Hegel’s justice-centered approach to political economy. I examined how are they the same or different given the differences in their socio, political, and economic backdrops. Religion was seen to be a structural force deeply embedded in the socio-political fabric of one country and an agency-driven force that moves people on the other. Ultimately, this research challenges the secularist notion that religion is obsolete and calls for the reexamination of religion in the political economy of development.

References

24, France."'All Eyes on Papua' Campaign Generates Interest in Deforestation Cases." France 24, 2024, accessed June 3 2024, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240605-all-eyes-on-papua-campaign-generates-interest-in-deforestation-cases.
Allen, Chris. "Who Needs Civil Society?". Review of African Political Economy 24, no. 73 (1997): 329-37.
Awang, Salwa Amirah, Fidlizan Muhammad, Joni Tamkin Borhan, and Mohammad Taqiuddin Mohamad. "The Concept of Charity in Islam: An Analysis on the Verses of Quran and Hadith." Jurnal Usuluddin 45, no. 1 (2017): 141-72.
Burke, Thomas Patrick. "The Origins of Social Justice: Taparelli D’azeglio." Modern Age 52, no. 2 (2010): 97-106.
Cabico, Gaea Katreena. "Rule of Law in Philippines Remains One of Weakest in the Region." Philstar.com, 2023. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/10/26/2306513/rule-law-philippines-remains-one-weakest-region.
Caporaso, James A, and David P Levine. Theories of Political Economy. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Centre, Business & Human Rights Resource."Indonesia: Climate Rights International Report Documents Environmental & Human Rights Impacts of Nickel Plants & Mines in Halmahera." Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2024, accessed June 12, 2024, https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/indonesia-climate-rights-international-report-documents-environmental-human-rights-impacts-of-nickel-smelting-processing-projects-in-halmahera/.
Centre, Muslim Aid Media."The Five Pillars of Islam." 2018, accessed April 24, 2024, https://www.muslimaid.org/media-centre/blog/the-five-pillars-of-islam/.
Cesari, Jocelyne. Why the West Fears Islam: An Exploration of Muslims in Liberal Democracies. Springer, 2013.
Children, End Violence Against."Indonesian President Signs Regulation for the Elimination of Violence against Children." 2022, accessed June 1, 2024, https://www.end-violence.org/articles/indonesian-president-signs-regulation-elimination-violence-against-children.
Clarke, Gerard. "Faith Matters: Faith‐Based Organisations, Civil Society and International Development." Journal of International Development: The Journal of the Development Studies Association 18, no. 6 (2006): 835-48.
Clarke, Matthew. "Understanding the Nexus between Religion and Development." Handbook of research on development and religion (2013): 1-16.
Concepcion, Sylvia, Larry Digal, Rufa Guiam, Romulo De La Rosa, and Mara Stankovitch. "Breaking the Links between Economics and Conflict in Mindanao." Paper presented at the Waging Peace’Conference, Manila, 2003.
Cornelio, Jayeel Serrano. "Religion and Civic Engagement: The Case of Iglesia Ni Cristo in the Philippines." Religion, State & Society 45, no. 1 (2017): 23-38.
Cornelio, Jayeel, and Julio Teehankee. "Disasters and the Rise of Global Religious Philanthropy." Diogenes (2024): 1-13. https://doi.org/doi:10.1017/S0392192123000135.
De Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America-Vol. I. And Ii. Read Books Ltd, 2015.
Dhima, Kostanca, and Matt Golder. "Secularization Theory and Religion." Politics and Religion 14, no. 1 (2021): 37-53.
Diamond, Larry. "Rethinking Civil Society: Towards Democratic Consolidation." Journal of Democracy 5, no. 3 (1994): 15.
Division, Poverty and Human Development Statistics. 2021 Full Year Official Poverty Statistics of the Philippines Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2022.
Editors, History.com."Alexis De Tocqueville." A&E Television Networks, 2009, accessed January 30, 2024, https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/alexis-de-tocqueville.
Fauzia, Amelia. Faith and the State: A History of Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia. Vol. 1: Brill, 2013.
———. "Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia: Modernization, Islamization, and Social Justice." Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies 10, no. 2 (2017): 223-36.
Fernandez, Josie M. "From Charity to Social Investments and Social Justice: A Study of Philanthropic Institutions in Indonesia." Asian transformations in action: the work of the 2006/2007 API Fellows (2009).
Fiaschi, Davide, and Rodolfo Signorino. "Consumption Patterns, Development and Growth: Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Robert Malthus." European Journal of the History of Economic Thought 10, no. 1 (2003): 5-24.
Forje, John W. "Re-Imagining Faith-Based and Civil Society Organisations as Agents of Development in Transitional Polities in Africa." (2013).
Fox, Jonathan. An Introduction to Religion and Politics: Theory and Practice. Routledge, 2018.
Fraser, Nancy. "Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics: Redistribution, Recognition, and Participation." 1998.
Frederking, Lauretta Conklin. Reconstructing Social Justice. Routledge, 2013.
Fuadi, Ariza. "Towards the Discourse of Islamic Philanthropy for Social Justice in Indonesia Ariza Fuadi." Afkaruna: Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Studies 8, no. 2 (2012): 92-102.
Gamble, Andrew. "Economic Libertarianism." The Oxford handbook of political ideologies (2013): 405-21.
Gaskins, Ben, Matt Golder, and David A Siegel. "Religious Participation and Economic Conservatism." American Journal of Political Science 57, no. 4 (2013): 823-40.
———. "Religious Participation, Social Conservatism, and Human Development." The Journal of Politics 75, no. 4 (2013): 1125-41.
Glaser, Barney, and Anselm Strauss. Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Routledge, 2017.
Group, International Crisis. Southern Philippines: Making Peace Stick in the Bangsamoro. International Crisis Group (Brussels, Belgium: 2023).
Hidayat, Mayuri Mei Lin and Rafki."Jakarta, the Fastest-Sinking City in the World." BBC, 2018, accessed May 14, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44636934.
Hill, Hal. "Globalization, Inequality, and Local‐Level Dynamics: Indonesia and the Philippines." Asian Economic Policy Review 3, no. 1 (2008): 42-61.
Hosen, Nadirsyah. "Religion and the Indonesian Constitution: A Recent Debate." Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 36, no. 3 (2005): 419.
Huda."The Meaning of Da'wah in Islam." Learn Religions, 2018, accessed June 1, 2024, https://www.learnreligions.com/the-meaning-of-dawah-in-islam-2004196.
Indonesia, UNICEF."Indonesia: More Than 25,000 Children Orphaned Due to Covid-19 since the Start of the Pandemic." UNICEF, 2021, accessed June 1, 2024, https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/indonesia-more-25000-children-orphaned-due-covid-19-start-pandemic.
Informatika, Kementerian Komunikasi dan."Konstitusi, Lambang Negara, Bendera, Lagu Kebangsaan Dan Bahasa." 2023, accessed January 28, 2023, https://indonesia.go.id/profil/konstitusi?lang=1 (Profil).
Jahan, Sarwat, Ahmed Saber Mahmud, and Chris Papageorgiou. "What Is Keynesian Economics." International Monetary Fund 51, no. 3 (2014): 53-54.
Jeff Frieden, Torben Iversen "Political Economy. Understanding How Societies Work." Department of Government, Harvard University 2024, 2024, https://www.gov.harvard.edu/undergraduate/programs-of-study/political-economy/.
Josie, MF, and Abdul Rahim Ibrahim. A Giving Society?: The State Philantrophy in Malaysia. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2002.
Katz, Stanley N. "Where Did the Serious Study of Philanthropy Come from, Anyway?". Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 28, no. 1 (1999): 74-82.
Khan, Nazir."Divine Duty: Islam and Social Justice." Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, 2020, accessed April 23, 2024, https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/divine-duty-islam-and-social-justice?download=1.
Koesoemawiria, Edith."Indonesia’s Ethnic Resentments." 2021, accessed May 30, 2024, https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/spite-legal-protections-indonesias-ethnic-chinese-still-face-discrimination.
Kraynak, Robert P. "The Origins of “Social Justice” in the Natural Law Philosophy of Antonio Rosmini." The Review of Politics 80, no. 1 (2018): 3-29. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26564721.
Kuah-Pearce, Khun Eng, and Jayeel Serrano Cornelio. "Introduction: Religious Philanthropy in Asia." Asian Journal of Social Science 43, no. 4 (2015): 349-55.
Lara, Francisco J, and Phil Champain. Inclusive Peace in Muslim Mindanao: Revisiting the Dynamics of Conflict and Exclusion. International Alert London, 2009.
Liow, Joseph Chinyong. Religion, Nationalism, and Politics in Southeast Asia: The Ambivalence of the Sacred in an Uncertain World. JSTOR, 2019.
Mapa, Claire Dennis S. "Four out of Five Children Aged 5 to 24 Years Were Attending School for School Year 2022 to 2023." news release, 2023.
———. "Gdp Expands by 5.7 Percent in the First Quarter of 2024." news release, 2024.
———. Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing). Manila, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023.
———. "Twenty-Two Percent of Filipinos Are Poor in the First Semester of 2023." news release, 2023.
McDuie‐Ra, Duncan, and John A Rees. "Religious Actors, Civil Society and the Development Agenda: The Dynamics of Inclusion and Exclusion." Journal of International Development: The Journal of the Development Studies Association 22, no. 1 (2010): 20-36.
Miller, Wendy. "Understanding Grounded Theory." Clinical Laboratory Science 28, no. 3 (2015): 197-200.
Moten, Abdul Rashid. "Social Justice, Islamic State and Muslim Countries." Cultura 10, no. 1 (2013): 7-24.
Nussbaum, Martha C. "Capabilities as Fundamental Entitlements: Sen and Social Justice." In Capabilities Equality, 54-80: Routledge, 2007.
Pabst, Adrian, and Roberto Scazzieri. "The Political Economy of Civil Society." Constitutional Political Economy 23 (2012): 337-56.
Payton, Robert L, and Michael P Moody. Understanding Philanthropy: Its Meaning and Mission. Indiana University Press, 2008.
Philippines, Constitution of the Republic of the. "Article Xiii: Social Justice and Human Rights." 1987.
Pickup, Zainulbahar Noor and Francine."Zakat Requires Muslims to Donate 2.5% of Their Wealth: Could This End Poverty?" Development finance, The Guardian, 2017, accessed April 20, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jun/22/zakat-requires-muslims-to-donate-25-of-their-wealth-could-this-end-poverty.
Project", "World Justice."World Justice Project: About Us." 2023, https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us.
Quilop, Raymund Jose G. "10 Religion and Politics in the Philippines." The politics of religion in south and southeast Asia (2011): 157.
Rahman, Shukran Abd."Prophet Muhammad’s Attributes as Rahmatan Lil Alamin." Islamicity, 2022, accessed January 3, 2023, https://www.islamicity.org/65378/prophet-muhammads-attributes-as-rahmatan-lil-alamin/.
Rawls, John. A Theory of Justice. Rawls. The Belknap, 1971.
Reuters. "No Murder Charges in Case of Trans Woman Burned to Death in Indonesia." NBC News, 2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/no-murder-charges-case-trans-woman-burned-death-indonesia-n1179011.
Roger, Charles Barclay."Amartya Sen and the Idea of Justice." openDemocracy, 2010, 2023, https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/amartya-sen-and-idea-of-justice/.
Rood, Steven. "Forging Sustainable Peace in Mindanao: The Role of Civil Society." (2005).
Saber, Roaa."Exploring Sunnah: What Is a Sunnah and Its Vital Role in Islam." 2024, accessed June 1, 2024, https://iqranetwork.com/blog/exploring-sunnah-what-is-a-sunnah-and-its-vital-role-in-islam/.
Sabio, Enrico Esteban B, and Don Jaegal. "The Legal Structure Governing Philanthropy in the Philippines." Korean Journal of Policy Studies 25, no. 1 (2010): 35-55.
Simandjuntak, Deasy. "Disciplining the Accepted and Amputating the Deviants: Religious Nationalism and Segregated Citizenship in Indonesia." Asian Journal of Law and Society 8, no. 1 (2021): 88-107.
State, U.S. Department of. 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Philippines. U.S. Department of State (United States: 2021). https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/philippines/.
Stirling, K. Caileigh. 5 Facts About Muslims and Christians in Indonesia. Pew Research Center (2024). https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/03/28/5-facts-about-muslims-and-christians-in-indonesia/.
Sujarwoto, Dominggus Elcid Li, Andi Ahmad Yani, Asal Wahyuni Erlin Mulyadi. Indeks Keadilan Sosial Indonesia. Indonesia Social Justice Network (ISJN) (Jakarta, Indonesia: 2020).
Tadem, Eduardo C. Heightened Development and Persistent Distress in Mindanao: A Political Economy Overview. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies, 2020.
ten Veen, Rianne C. "Charitable Giving in Islam." Islamic Aid (2009).
Teraji, Shinji. The Cognitive Basis of Institutions: A Synthesis of Behavioral and Institutional Economics. Academic Press, 2018.
Ulep, Valerie Gilbert T, Ma Christina F Epetia, and Sonny N Domingo. "Close the Gap: Accelerating Post-Pandemic Recovery through Social Justice." (2022).
UNICEF."Child Protection: Keeping Children Safe from Violence, Neglect and Exploitation." 2023, accessed June 1, 2024, https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/child-protection.
University, President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Pluralism Project at Harvard. The Five Pillars. Harvard University (2020).
van Iterson Scholten, Gijsbert M, and Gijsbert M van Iterson Scholten. "Mindanao: Justice, Harmony and Peace of Mind." Visions of Peace of Professional Peace Workers: The Peaces We Build (2020): 171-97.
Velasco, Ma Gisela Tiongson. Corporate Philanthropy in Asia: The Philippines Case. Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York, 1996.
Walker, Melanie, and Elaine Unterhalter. Amartya Sen's Capability Approach and Social Justice in Education. Springer, 2007.
Watch, Human Rights."Philippines: Events of 2020." 2021, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines (Human Rights in PH 2020).
Worldwide, Islamic Relief."Philippines." 2019, 2023, https://islamic-relief.org/where_we_work/philippines/.
Zakiah, Firmansyah Sarbini and Naila Rizkqi."Epidemic of Violence against Transgender Women in Indonesia: When the Government Fails to Protect Its Vulnerable Citizens." Australian Human Rights Institute, n.d., accessed May 25, 2024, https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/news/epidemic-violence-against-transgender-women-indonesia-when-government-fails-protect-its-vulnerable-citizens.