Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study analyzes the Indonesian government’s public communication policy regarding Islamic groups designated as deviant, specifically Ahmadiyah in West Nusa Tenggara and Gafatar in West Kalimantan. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the research collects data through interviews, observations, and document reviews, then analyzes them using Miles, Huberman and Saldana’s interactive model. Findings reveal that the government’s communication tends to be top-down, legalistic, and lacks participatory mechanisms, leading to policy misinterpretation and intensified social exclusion. The discussion contrasts these findings with prominent international theories, including Grunig and Hunt’s two-way symmetrical communication, Habermas’ communicative action, human rights-based approaches (HRBA), and governance network theory. The study highlights a significant gap between policy design and implementation at the local level, emphasizing the need for inclusive, multi-actor dialogue. The novelty lies in the contextual integration of theoretical frameworks to critically assess the effectiveness of communication in handling religious deviance. Future policy design should strengthen dialogue-based strategies that uphold human rights and pluralism.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220162495