Indonesian EFL Journal
Vol. 11 No. 3 (2025)

SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF HATE SPEECH AS FOUND IN COMMENTARIES OFINDONESIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES’ INSTAGRAM

Sondang Manik (Nommensen HKBP University, Medan, Indonesia)
Rony Arahta Sembirig (Nommensen HKBP University, Medan, Indonesia)
Jubil Ezer Sihite (Nommensen HKBP University, Medan, Indonesia)
Ardiwan Halawa (Nommensen HKBP University, Medan, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
06 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the sociolinguistic patterns of hate speech directed at the three Indonesian presidential candidates on Instagram during the 2024 election campaign. Grounded in qualitative–descriptive inquiry, the research analyzes 180 public comments using sociolinguistic discourse analysis, thematic categorization, and interpretive frameworks. Findings show that hate expressions are shaped by political identity, emotional intensity, and ideological positioning. Hate directed at Prabowo Subianto is dominated by revenge (30%) and sadism (26.7%), reflecting emotionally charged hostility tied to his long political history. Anies Baswedan receives predominantly instrumental violence (30%) and revenge (28.3%), indicating strategic attempts to delegitimize his credibility and dissatisfaction with his political maneuvers. For Ganjar Pranowo, instrumental violence (36.7%) and ideology-driven attacks (21.7%) are most prominent, embedding him in narratives of systemic distrust and corruption. Across candidates, hate speech operates as a sociolinguistic mechanism for constructing identity, reinforcing group boundaries, and sustaining political polarization in digital spaces. The study contributes to Indonesian sociolinguistic research by offering a context-specific examination of hate speech on Instagram, highlighting its linguistic forms, discursive strategies, and implications for digital political communication, identity construction, and mitigation efforts. 

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Journal Info

Abbrev

pub

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

The scopes of the journal include critical issues of educational practices in primary, secondary and tertiary education as well as in university level surrounding: English Language Pedagogy Language Acquisition Bilingualism and Multilingualism English language Literacy English for Specific Purposes ...