Sharia in power: non-Muslims and the performance of Islamic politics in Aceh public sphere, Indonesia

Abstract

A structural transformation of the public sphere in contemporary Aceh is marked by the monopoly over religious interpretations by the state and ulema through the enactment of Islamic sharia. This article examines the performance of Aceh’s public sphere with reference to non-Muslim discourses in practising Islamic politics. The data were collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and a literature study. Based on the concept of multiple public spheres, this paper argues that the government’s attempts to restrict the performance of public sphere based on Islamic values and identities is not only unsuccessful but also triggers a counter-public sphere to emerge. The counterpublic has become an arena where its proponents promote their valuable ideas, negotiate identity, or resist realising aspirations. This study finds out that the visibility of public sphere is in layers and there may be no connections between one contingent and another, or they even contest. Although they may have similarities in being resistant to dominant narratives, the proponents of public sphere have many ways, perspectives, or strategies to share their ideas and increase their participation in the more prominent public sphere. Transformasi struktural ruang publik dalam masyarakat Aceh kontemporer ditandai dengan monopoli penafsiran agama oleh negara dan ulama melalui pemberlakukan syariat Islam. Tulisan ini membahas performa ruang publik Aceh berdasarkan studi kasus diskursus non-Muslim dalam praktek politik Islam. Data lapangan dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam dan studi literatur. Berdasarkan konsep multipe public sphere tulisan berargumen bahwa upaya pemerintah membatasi tampilan ruang publik berdasarkan nilai dan identitas Islam bukan hanya tidak berhasil tetapi juga memantik kemunculan counterpublic. Ruang publik tandingan menjadi arena dimana para proponennya melakukan konsolidasi gagasan, negosiasi identitas atau pun resistensi dalam merealisasikan aspirasi. Tulisan menemukan bahwa visibilitas publik tandingan berlapis-lapis dan antara satu kontingen dengan kontingen yang lain terkadang tidak saling berhubungan, atau bahkan saling kontestasi. Kendati mereka terkadang memiliki kesamaan dalam resistensi pada narasi dominan, para proponen ruang publik tandingan memiliki beragam cara, sudut pandangan maupun strategi dalam mengungkapkan aspirasi dan partisipasi dalam ruang publik yang lebih besar.