Multicultural and Islamic Education; Similarities and Differences between Indonesian and Austrian Context

Keberagaman dan perbedaan budaya merupakan ciri khas era globalisasi dimana manusia dengan mudah berinteraksi antara satu dengan lainnya. Keberagaman dan perbedaan ini tidak seharusnya dianggap sebagai suatu ancaman atau hal menakutkan tetapi merupakan sumber kekayaan dari individu maupun masyarakat. Makalah ini bertujuan mengkaji konsep pendidikan multikultural dalam konteks pendidikan Islam di Austria dan Indonesia khususnya melihat persamaan dan perbedaan antara kedua negara tersebut. Austria merupakan salah satu negara di benua Eropa dengan etnis dan budaya yang beragam. Namun setiap kelompok masyarakat termasuk komunitas muslim bisa hidup secara berdampingan dan nyaman tanpa ada konflik-konflik yang berarti. Hal ini terbukti dengan Austria menjadi salah satu negara tujuan pengungsian dari imigran-imigran muslim saat ini. Indonesia juga merupakan negara dengan etnis dan budaya yang beragam serta memiliki populasi muslim terbesar di dunia. Hasil telaah didapatkan bahwa ada persamaan dan perbedaan pendidikan islam di kedua negara tersebut disebabkan latar belakang keragaman etnis, budaya, agama, bahasa serta kehidupan ekonomi. Increasing diversity and cultural differences is typical in this era of globalization where mobilization and interaction among people around the world are at the high level. This multicultural nature should not be viewed as a potential risk, instead it is an enrichment for individuals and the society. This paper intends to study multiculturalism in the context of Islamic education in Indonesia and Austria specifically focusing on investigating the similarities and differences of the concept between the two countries. Indonesia is a country that is very diverse ethnically, culturally, linguistically and religiously. Also, it has the biggest Muslim population in the world. Austria is one of European countries with a diverse population, too. However, each ethnic group including the Muslim community can live peacefully side by side, not facing any crucial problems. It is proved by many Muslim immigrants who choose Austria as a destination in seeking for asylum and making a better life. Studying the two countries' approach regarding multiculturalism in Islamic education context can provide useful insights for developing a more responsive Islamic Education to the current world trends. The result of study shows that there are some similarities as well as differences of multicultural Islamic education in both countries due to the diverse ethnic, culture, religion, language, and the economic, social, and political life of the two countries.