Mixed Marriage Without Agreements In Indonesia’s Bawean-Gresik Muslim Community: A Legal Pluralism Perspective
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This research examines mixed marriages without agreements in Indonesia’s Bawean-Gresik Muslim Community. A mixed marriage refers to a marriage between an Indonesian citizen and a foreign national under Article 57 of the Indonesian Marriage Law, while a marriage agreement is a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement governing marital property. Although legally recognised, many mixed marriages are conducted without such agreements, reflecting the interaction of religious authority, legal consciousness, and legal pluralism. This research employs an empirical socio-legal approach informed by Antonio Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, legal consciousness theory, and legal pluralism. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with mixed-marriage couples, kiai, village officials, and community leaders, supported by Indonesian marriage legislation, the Compilation of Islamic Law, and Constitutional Court Decision No. 69/PUU-XIII/2015. Data were analysed using thematic-interpretative analysis. This study shows that the legitimacy of mixed marriages is primarily shaped by the symbolic authority of kiai, who consider marriages religiously valid despite the absence of marriage agreements. This authority reinforces public legal consciousness and collective acceptance of the practice. Rather than merely reflecting non-compliance with state law, the practice represents normative negotiation among Islamic law, local culture, and state law. This research contributes to socio-legal scholarship by explaining how religious authority mediates legal compliance within plural legal systems.
Language: English
Topic: Marriage and Family Dynamics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204933004