Political Polarization in Indonesia (Case Study: The 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election)

Abstract: Indonesia has long standing religious and ethnic cleavages (Muslim vs. non Muslim, pribumi / indigenous people vs. Chinese Indonesian) that were “frozen” most of the time in party systems and social institutions. However, it could be reactivated during moments of political crisis, such as the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. At the center of the contest, Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent who served as the incumbent governor, ran against Anies, a Muslim academic and former education minister. It has been described by the Jakarta Post newspaper as “the dirtiest, most polarizing and most divisive election campaign the nation has ever seen”. Moreover, this study drew on a mixed set of quantitative and qualitative data sources to reconstruct the electoral landscape and the dynamics of polarization. Together, the methods integrated the interpretation of how simultaneous interventions at sociopolitical structures, religious and ethnic identities, and communication processes are required to reduce polarization in Jakarta significantly.

Keywords: cleavages, election, identity, political, polarization