International and Inter/Transdisciplinary Conference

October 28-November 1, 2025

Bandung-Surabaya-Blitar with possible extra activities in Bali, Yogyakarta or in the new Indonesian capital Nusantara (itinerary still to be decided) Indonesia.

The Netherlands-Indonesia Consortium for Muslim-Christian Relations (NICMCR)  will organize special sessons / panels / roundtables on the topic of

DECOLONIZATION: Delinking or Dialogue?

INTRODUCTION

In 2025, it is 70 years ago that the Africa-Asia Conference was held in Bandung. The ‘Bandung Conference’ was inspired by the principles of independence, self-determination, respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, and peaceful co existence. These principles were formulated in a time that countries were struggling for independence, in Africa and Asia. The principles gained relevance during the Cold War era. It is hypothesized that the so called ‘Spirit of Bandung’ is still relevant, but needs to be adjusted to the post 9/11 era, in which political and economic domination has been supplemented by cultural, intellection and religious domination. This holds true for the relationship between the West and the Muslim world. The Israel–Palestine conflict is just a case in point. Is the spirit of in dependence (de-linking) going to help academicians and activists who foster decolonization, or do they need to enhance inter-dependence (dialogue)?

We explore answers to these questions in the fields of gender, education and ecology from a Dialogical Self Theory perspective. Dialogical Self Theory is a bridging theory and includes related theories that go beyond ‘us’ versus ‘them’ dichotomies.

Coordinators
Frans DOKMAN, Netherlands/Portugal (Doctor, Religious Studies, Senior Researcher at SWIR/Studies in World Christianity and Interreligious Relations)

Yus SA’DIYAH-BROERSMA, Indonesia/Netherlands (Bachelor’s Degree, Public Health, Resource Community, Coordinator, Netherlands Indonesia Consortium for Muslim Christian Relations)

Information: https://bandungspirit.org/IMG/pdf/cfp-decolonisation-delinking-dialogue.pdf