Robin Bush

Religion and the Politics of Development

Nahdlatul Ulama and the Struggle for Power Within Islam and Politics in Indonesia

This book explores the political and ideological motivations behind the formation of the Nahdlatul Ulama-affiliated political party, and Abdurrahman Wahid's rise to the Presidency of Indonesia after having led NU for 15 years away from formal politics. It sheds light on the complex and historical rivalries within Islam in Indonesia, and how those relationships inform and explain political alliances and manoeuvres in contemporary Indonesia.