Ms Tri Sulistianing Astuti

This paper aims to discuss the politicization of Islamophobia in Indonesia. Islamophobia is experienced and developed within a social context. I argue that it is deliberately used to raise identity politics, dividing non-Muslims and Muslims. I examine how the debate on Islamophobia in Indonesia is connected to political Islam and how identity politics uses Islamophobia to win votes.   I conclude that the expansion of Islamophobia in Indonesia demonstrates a pattern where Islamophobia is used to justify 'otherness' and the inferiority of targets. Interestingly, the causes of Islamophobia in Indonesia are linked to the history of the repression of political Islam in Indonesia. Likewise, in Indonesia, Islamophobia has been deliberately used for politically pragmatic purposes to achieve electoral popularity as a strategy of identity politics.

Author’s biography

Tri Sulistianing Astuti is a graduate student of Political Science Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. She got her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Gadjah Mada University. She also has a Master degree in Public Policy from the School of Government and Public Policy in Indonesia. She published several articles and book chapters. Her latest book chapter is “The 2022 International Review of Constitutional Reform: Indonesia Report”, published by the University of Texas School of Law.