New Collaborative Research Project with UNM
A new collaborative research project has been established between the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society (CILIS) and the Universitas Negeri Makassar (UNM).
The research team consists of:
- Professor Farida Patittingi (UNM)
- Associate Professor Nadirsyah Hosen (CILIS)
- Dr Andi Muhammad Irawan (UNM)
The project, titled “Regulating Religion through Language: Legal Discourse and the Governance of Religious Diversity in Indonesia", examines how legal and regulatory language shapes the governance of religious diversity in Indonesia.
Indonesia is internationally recognised for its plural religious landscape. However, the regulation of religious diversity is deeply influenced by the terminology employed in state laws and policies. Concepts such as “religious harmony", “public order" and “religious deviance” are frequently invoked in legal discourse, yet these terms are far from neutral. They reflect particular interpretations, institutional priorities, and power relations that influence how religious communities are recognised, managed, or marginalised.
This research critically investigates how the Indonesian state defines and operationalises these concepts within legal and policy frameworks. It explores the interaction between state authority and religious communities, focusing on how regulatory language may reinforce certain religious hierarchies while legitimising particular interpretations of religion over others.
Using a qualitative methodology grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study will analyse national regulations, policy documents, and institutional guidelines relating to religious governance in Indonesia. Through close textual analysis, the project seeks to identify the narratives, discursive patterns, and power structures embedded within the language of regulation.
The project has received a research grant of Rp 150,000,000 (approximately AUD 13,000).