The backlash against NU’s religious diplomacy
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Islamic organization, has faced internal turmoil following the controversial invitation of a neoconservative academic to its leadership academy. The incident led to the dismissal of PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf amid backlash over the organization's religious diplomacy.
Why it matters
The internal conflict within a major religious organization highlights the complexities of navigating international political affiliations and ideological shifts.
On 24 August 2025, the former academic Peter Berkowitz delivered a lecture at the National Leadership Academy (AKN NU) , the highest tier of cadre training by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Islamic mass organisation. Berkowitz, now a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution , served as Director of Policy Planning at the State Department during Donald Trump’s first presidential administration and maintains extensive ties to pro-Israel and neoconservative foreign policy networks.
The article provides an academic analysis of a political controversy within a religious organization.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in