Religion, Identity, and Electoral Discourse: The 2017 Jakarta Governor Election in Comparative Perspective

Alfian Rafiq Putra (Monash University)
Ahmad Jihad (Universitas Gadjah Mada)

Indonesian Discourse on Communication, Democracy, and Political Movements
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024): January, 2024

This study examines the intersection of religion, identity, and electoral discourse during the 2017 Jakarta Governor Election, situating the case within comparative perspectives of identity politics in democratic elections. The Jakarta election, marked by intense religious framing and public debates over faith, citizenship, and moral legitimacy, became a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s democratic trajectory. This research analyzes how religious identity was mobilized, contested, and instrumentalized by political actors, media, and civil society, and how such discursive strategies shaped voter perceptions and democratic norms. Employing qualitative discourse analysis, the study examines campaign speeches, political advertisements, social media narratives, news coverage, and public statements from key candidates and religious organizations. The findings reveal that electoral discourse was shaped by competing frames: one that emphasized pluralism, constitutionalism, and civic inclusion, and another that invoked religious purity, moral authority, and majoritarian legitimacy. Religious symbolism and identity narratives were used not only to mobilize supporters but also to delegitimize opponents, producing polarization and challenges to democratic pluralism. The comparative perspective highlights how similar dynamics of religious identity in electoral politics occur in other democracies, while also demonstrating the specific role of Indonesia’s religious institutions and historical context in shaping outcomes. The novelty of this study lies in its comparative approach to the Jakarta case, integrating local socio-religious complexities with broader theories of identity politics and electoral communication. The contribution of the research is to deepen understanding of how religion functions as a political resource and a discursive tool in elections, offering insights for policymakers, political parties, and civil society on safeguarding democratic inclusivity. It concludes that maintaining democratic resilience requires strengthening institutional safeguards, promoting inclusive political narratives, and enhancing public media literacy to mitigate identity-based polarization.