Clive Kessler

Clive Kessler is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He has been researching and writing about militant Islam, especially in Southeast Asia, since the 1960s.

Clive's recent articles

Malaysia: Whats Next with conviction of Najib Razak

After years of investigative exposs and legal wrangling, former Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty last Tuesday 28 July of serious crimes related to the 1MDB financial scandal.

CLIVE KESSLER. Indefinite Incarceration of Unrepentant Jihadis in Australia?

The sentences, some of them already further extended, of a number of militant Islamists convicted of terrorist conspiracy are about to expire.

CLIVE KESSLER. A Malay game of thrones (East Asia Forum)

As in earlier constitutional struggles in 1983 and 1993, Malaysias federal government under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is confronting the royal power and claimed prerogatives of the traditional rulers of the federations nine sultanate states.

CLIVE KESSLER. Daleys Asian blunder ... And beyond

Yes, Michael Daleys Asian blunder was a bad choice of words and more.But when we have finished fulminating about his racism, consider this.What he is talking about to people in the stressed and stalled lower middle of Australian society touches upon a deep reversal in their, and most Australians, long-ingrained attitudes, assumptions and expectations.

CLIVE KESSLER. Mahathir's deep dilemma for 2019 (ASIAN NIKKEI REVIEW).

Can he win over the dominant ethnic Malays and halt the growth of Islamist forces?

CLIVE KESSLER. New hopes or old fears for Malaysia?

Against the odds, and against most informed predictions, Malaysias 14th general elections in May 2018 produced a change of government. The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition under Najib Razak, which had been in power since 1957, was ousted by the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) consortium led by Mahathir Mohamad, a now second-time prime minister.What had long seemed Malaysias permanent government was humbled, and its anchor party the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been thrown into disarray.

CLIVE KESSLER. Umno defeat in Malaysia. What now? (Malay Mail, 20.10.2018)

After its electoral repudiation by so many voters at GE14, Umno needs to think about its future prospects and direction. It now needs to look forward clearly. It can do so only by first looking backwards, honestly.

CLIVE KESSLER. Western Civilization in our universities: Killed off by its latter-day champions.

Who killed off the Western Tradition in our Universities? Its current neo-liberal champions and those who share their crocodile tears.

CLIVE KESSLER Mahathir, Anwar and the Islamic threat.

Malaysia's recent national elections either announced a new dawn or they simply mark the beginning of another dark and difficult time in the country's much-contested political story.

CLIVE KESSLER. Malaysias electoral fantasy belies worrying reality.

Malaysias fourteenth general elections (GE14) have finally been called. For almost a decade Prime Minister Najib Razak has ruled on recurrent hints of a snap, surprise election; this is the second time he has let the Parliament run close to its full five-year course. On 7 April, Najib dissolved the Parliament, leaving it to the Election Commission to proclaim 28 April as the nomination deadline for candidates and 9 May as the day of the vote.Rather than holding the election as usual at the weekend, when city-dwelling voters may easily return to the villages where many are registered to vote,...

CLIVE KESSLER. Old enemies reconcile as Malaysian elections near.

Malaysias fourteenth general elections are looming. This time, almost unprecedentedly, they will see the two great Malay political parties the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) working implicitly as allies, not rivals.

Clive Kessler. A rage against history.

The Ottawa parliament, Caf Lindt, Charlie Hebdo and so many others too: these are all separate incidents. But they are all part of the same global phenomenon. They are all expressions of a rage against history that lurks within modern Islam and animates Muslim militants worldwide today. It is a rage that has its source within the wounded soul of contemporary Islamic civilisation, of the modern Muslim world generally. The Islamic religion and its social worldare an intensely political tradition. It has always been so, going back to Muhammads dual role as both prophet and political...

<