The Construction of Moderate Muslim Networks in Western Geopolitics: Implications of the RAND Corporation Report on the Islam Nusantara Discourse

Muhammad Haikal Hasmezam

Authors

Muhammad Haikal Hasmezam Universitas PTIQ Jakarta Author

Keywords:

RAND Corporation, Moderate Muslims, Islam Nusantara, Geopolitics, Wasaṭiyyah

Abstract

This article examines the geopolitical strategy devised by the RAND Corporation through two major reports, Civil Democratic Islam: Partners, Resources, and Strategies (2003) and Building Moderate Muslim Networks (2007), which aimed to establish a moderate Muslim network as an instrument of US foreign policy. Using a content analysis approach and a critical review of primary documents, this study examines RAND's operational definition of "moderate Muslim," its objectives for establishing the network, its implementation strategies, and its impact on Islamic discourse in Malaysia and Indonesia. The findings indicate that RAND's conception of "moderation" is instrumental and not rooted in Islamic scholarly traditions, but rather is defined based on alignment with Western values of liberal democracy, religious pluralism, and gender equality. This article argues that RAND's strategy has influenced the landscape of Islamic organizations in the archipelago through funding of non-governmental organizations, interventions in Islamic education curricula, and media empowerment.

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