Religious minoritization in indonesia
The term ‘minority’ does not have a legal basis in Indonesia and is avoided by the government as well as certain minority religious groups because it is seen to imply unequal recognition and treatment. The fact, however, is that the existing legal framework for governance of religion does constitute...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Dictionary entry/article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2024
|
| In: |
Religious minorities online
Year: 2024 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The term ‘minority’ does not have a legal basis in Indonesia and is avoided by the government as well as certain minority religious groups because it is seen to imply unequal recognition and treatment. The fact, however, is that the existing legal framework for governance of religion does constitute a minoritizing structure, though at the same time it accommodates religious diversity and the multi-confessional nature of the Indonesian state to some extent. The structure is supported by state institutional practices as well as everyday engagement between religious groups. This article describes the historical-political roots of that structure, the legal ground for distinction between religions, and their consequences. One of the consequences is the existence of a tacit hierarchy of four main categories of religious groups in Indonesia: (1) six ‘world religions’ (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism), which are administered by the Ministry of Religious Affairs; (2) other world religions; (3) groups/sects within those religions and New Religious Movements; and (4) non-world/indigenous religions. The last section describes the situation of those groups and their main challenges, but also openings for better recognition and treatment of the minority groups. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2748-1328 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religious minorities online
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1515/rmo.33962485 |