Post-truth and Islamophobia in the contestation of contemporary Indonesian politics

Abstract

This study examines the post-truth politics phenomenon, its role, and its influence on the return of Islamophobic narratives in the dynamics of contemporary Indonesian power contestation. Using a qualitative approach and a critical theory, this study discovered that the prevalence of the post-truth political practices has indirectly reincited Islamophobic narratives in contemporary Indonesian power contestation. The return of the aforementioned Islamophobic narratives is apparent in at least three ways. First, not only has post-truth politics practice, which stems from the politicization of religion and ethnicity, had a negative impact on the health of the power rotation process in Indonesia, but it also has wilted the reality of diversity in Indonesia as a pluralist nation, both in terms of religion and ethnicity. Second, post-truth politics practices, wherein lies propaganda, intimidation, falsehood, and hate speech, have catalyzed the rise of sentiments towards socio-religious groups, such as what happened in the Aksi Bela Islam (Defending Islam Acts) 411 and 212. Third, the return of Islamophobic narratives caused by post-truth politics is shown in the increasing clashes and practices of religious intolerance in Indonesia, where intolerance is done by the majority against the minorities. Studi ini mengkaji fenomena politik pasca-kebenaran, peran dan pengaruhnya terhadap kembalinya narasi Islamofobia dalam dinamika perebutan kekuasaan Indonesia kontemporer. Mempergunakan pendekatan kualitatif dan teori kritis, penelitian ini menemukan bahwa prevalensi praktik politik pasca-kebenaran secara tidak langsung telah menghidupkan kembali narasi Islamofobia dalam kontestasi kekuasaan Indonesia kontemporer. Kembalinya narasi Islamofobia yang disebutkan di atas terlihat setidaknya dalam tiga cara. Pertama, praktik politik pasca-kebenaran yang bersumber dari politisasi agama dan etnisitas, berdampak negatif terhadap kesehatan proses perputaran kekuasaan, bahkan telah melemahkan realitas keberagaman sebagai bangsa yang plural dalam hal agama dan etnis. Kedua, praktik politik pasca-kebenaran yang di dalamnya terdapat propaganda, intimidasi, kebohongan, dan ujaran kebencian, menjadi katalis munculnya sentimen terhadap kelompok-kelompok sosial-agama, seperti yang terjadi pada Aksi Bela Islam 411 dan 212. Ketiga, kembalinya narasi Islamofobia akibat politik pasca-kebenaran ditunjukkan dengan meningkatnya bentrokan dan praktik intoleransi agama di Indonesia, di mana intoleransi dilakukan oleh mayoritas terhadap minoritas.