Constitutions, Religion and Politics in Asia

Dian A. H. Shah is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies, National University of Singapore. She previously taught at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya, where she remains a faculty appointee. Her research interests span the fields of constitutional history, comparative constitutional law and human rights, focusing on issues arising from the interaction between constitutional law, religion and politics in Asia. She has published widely in international journals and collaborative academic publications, and has presented her research at conferences and seminars worldwide. She is also a frequent guest lecturer at universities in Indonesia.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Three constitutional arrangements on religion; 3. Religion and religious freedom in public life; 4. Religious freedom in divided societies and the role of the state; 5. Constitutional adjudication on religion and religious freedom; 6. Judicial institutions and the rule of law deficit; 7. Religion, electoral politics and religious freedom; 8. Conclusion.

'This book contains highly sophisticated and detailed comparative legal research. It uncovers the historical context in which constitutional religious freedoms came into being in Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka to explain how this informs modern day interpretation and application of these freedoms. It offers a very convincing explanation for the violation of religious freedoms in these countries, despite constitutional protections, examining a variety of issues including electoral processes, judicial decision-making and broader political contexts.' Simon Butt, Sydney Law School