Jurnal Sosiologi Agama Indonesia (JSAI)
Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026)

Negotiating Religious Moderation in Pontianak City: Formal Constraints and Everyday Coexistence

Putri Handayani Lubis (Institut Agama Islam Negeri Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia)
Maria Puspitasari (Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Helva Zurayah (Institut Agama Islam Negeri Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia)
Muhammad Rachimoellah (Politeknik Negeri Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Mar 2026

Abstract

This study examines how religious moderation is implemented and experienced in Pontianak City, with particular attention to the tension between formal institutional arrangements and everyday social interaction. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on semi-structured in-depth interviews with 24 informants from religious-bureaucratic, educational-academic, and civil society backgrounds, complemented by non-participant observation in informal public spaces. The findings show three recurring patterns. First, formal regulatory mechanisms, particularly in the establishment of houses of worship, may impose uneven procedural burdens on minority groups. Second, inclusive educational initiatives may encounter social suspicion and limited institutional support, making moderation difficult to sustain in practice. Third, informal public spaces such as warung kopi provide more ordinary and flexible opportunities for interaction across religious and social boundaries, thereby supporting practical coexistence in everyday life. These findings suggest that religious moderation should not be understood only through policy discourse and formal programs, but also through the uneven ways it is negotiated and practiced in daily social settings. The study argues that strengthening religious moderation requires not only institutional design, but also wider community engagement and greater attention to informal spaces of coexistence in plural urban contexts.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jsai

Publisher

Subject

Religion Arts Humanities Education Social Sciences

Description

The focus and Scope of JSAI is to provide a scientific article of conceptual studies of sociology of religion, religious communities, multicultural societies, social changes in religious communities, and social relations between religious communities base on field research or literature studies with ...