Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Indonesia - Scholarly

In this review of Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Contemporary Indonesia the reviewer finds a focused, ethnographic account that will interest readers wanting serious study of religious sound in Southeast Asia; the single biggest reason to buy is its sustained, field-based analysis of how women engage with Qur'anic recitation and Islamic musical forms in contemporary Indonesian public life. Anne K. Rasmussen frames the book as both cultural history and musical ethnography, and the prose consistently keeps music, gender, and nationalism at the center of the argument.

Key Features

• Ethnographic fieldwork: Detailed, on-the-ground reporting from the end of the New Order into the Reformation era gives readers first-hand insight into musical practice and performance contexts.
• Focus on women: The book foregrounds women as performers and reciters, clarifying their roles in public religious soundscapes and how they negotiate social expectations.
• Musical analysis: Close attention to style and genre explains how Arab-influenced Islamic musical forms are adapted and performed in Indonesia.
• Historical framing: Discussion of the late Suharto and post-Suharto periods ties musical developments to shifts in religious nationalism and public culture.
• Interdisciplinary reach: The text connects musicology, religious studies, and gender studies in a way that benefits scholars across those fields.

Who It's For

This book is best suited for academics, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates in ethnomusicology, religious studies, Southeast Asian studies, and gender studies who need a rigorous case study of music and religion in a majority-Muslim context. Librarians building a collection on world music or contemporary Islam will also find it a good fit.

Readers looking for a general introduction to Indonesian history or a popular narrative account of music culture should look elsewhere; the writing assumes some familiarity with academic approaches to fieldwork and musical description and prioritizes analysis over broad storytelling.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Combines careful ethnographic observation with musical description to illuminate public performances of the Qur'an and Islamic song.
• Centers women's musical roles in a context often treated as male-dominated, offering fresh perspectives on gendered performance.
• Places musical practice within political and historical change, helping readers understand the link between sound and religious nationalism.

Cons

• The academic tone and detailed musical analysis may be dense for casual readers without background in ethnomusicology.

Specifications

Title	Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Contemporary Indonesia
Author	Anne K. Rasmussen
Subject focus	Qur'anic recitation, Islamic music, and women's roles
Geographic focus	Indonesia
Approach	Ethnographic research and musical analysis
Historical span	Late New Order through the Reformation era

Our Verdict

Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Contemporary Indonesia is a valuable, well-documented study for scholars and students who want rigorous analysis of sound, gender, and religion in Indonesia; its focused fieldwork and musical attention make it good value for research libraries and courses, though general readers may find the specialist approach demanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book include fieldwork accounts?
Yes, the text is based on ethnographic research conducted from the end of Suharto's New Order into the era of Reformation.

Is the focus more musical or historical?
The book blends musical analysis with historical and political framing, but the primary emphasis is on musical style, performance, and women's roles.

Who will benefit most from reading it?
Graduate students and scholars in ethnomusicology, religious studies, and Southeast Asian studies will get the most from this detailed study.