Islam in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, should no longer be viewed as a peripheral subject in global Islamic studies. This perspective was emphasized by Verena Meyer from the Leiden Institute for Area Studies during her participation as a keynote speaker at an international graduate conference hosted by Graduate School of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Tuesday (12/05/2026).
In an interview following her keynote presentation titled “Asia as a Privileged Space of Inquiry in Islamic Studies,” Meyer explained that Asia has become an essential space for understanding the contemporary development of Islamic thought and scholarship.
According to her, one of the most visible reasons is demographic. Southeast Asia is home to a significant portion of the world’s Muslim population, making the region a major center of Muslim life and experience.
“By sheer numbers alone, we cannot discount Asia as a center of the Muslim world,” she explained.
However, Meyer noted that the significance of Southeast Asia extends far beyond demographics. She highlighted the region’s long intellectual history of negotiating what it means to be Muslim while living far from the Arab world, where Islamic traditions are often deeply intertwined with local Arab culture.
Indonesia and Southeast Asia, she argued, have developed unique reflections on Islam within social, linguistic, cultural, and environmental contexts that differ greatly from the Middle East. These experiences, according to Meyer, have generated rich and relevant intellectual traditions that continue to shape contemporary Islamic discourse.
She also emphasized that encounters between Islamic traditions, local cultures, and later Western influences have often produced tensions and debates. Yet rather than becoming dead ends, such encounters have created productive spaces for reflection on identity, society, and humanity’s relationship with God.
Speaking about the role of young scholars, Meyer encouraged graduate students and emerging researchers to remain intellectually curious and critical.
“I think one very important thing is to stay curious and not take for granted what other people say,” she stated.
She also encouraged researchers to pay attention to the multiple crises facing the contemporary world, including political and environmental crises, while learning from how Muslim societies in the past responded to difficult historical moments.
Meyer further reflected on her academic experience at Leiden University, an institution known for its long-standing traditions in both Indonesian studies and Islamic studies. Unlike many Western universities where the two fields are often separated, Leiden integrates them within interconnected academic conversations.
At the same time, she acknowledged that Leiden’s scholarly legacy cannot be separated from its colonial and orientalist history. For that reason, she stressed the importance of addressing this historical legacy responsibly through dialogue and collaboration with Indonesian scholars and institutions.
Discussing academic collaboration between Indonesian and European universities, Meyer described such partnerships as essential for creating more equitable and inclusive knowledge production. She noted that scholars from different backgrounds bring distinct perspectives and experiences into academic discussions.
“As somebody who did not grow up in Indonesia, there are experiences that I can learn about, but I have never experienced first-hand,” she said, emphasizing the importance of learning directly from Indonesian colleagues and researchers.
Beyond academic discussion, Meyer also shared her personal connection with Indonesia, including her journey in learning Bahasa Indonesia. Originally from Germany, she began studying the language during her undergraduate years before later continuing her studies in Jakarta, where she immersed herself in local academic life.
Closing the interview, Meyer offered a message to participants of the graduate conference who are currently building their academic careers in Islamic studies.
“Stay curious. Don’t take answers for granted. And don’t be afraid to think deeply about difficult things,” she said. “When something is difficult, it often means that it is worth pursuing.” (humassk)