Media Representations of Islam and Muslims in Indonesia: A Review and Research Direction

Abstract

Current political issues related to power struggles in Indonesia are playing a divisive role in the country and escalating religious cases are a common sight. With Muslims dominating the nation's population, Islam inevitably plays a pivotal role in the country's political pageant. Indonesian government claim that they manage to secure moderate Muslims' loyalty to the political system while groups that are labelled as 'intolerant and radical Muslims' by the mainstream media often reject the mainstream democratic interpretations. In light of this situation, it is imperative that studies on factors contributing to the case and discourse strategies used in news and articles in secular and Islamic mass media dictating the current constructions of Muslim and Islamic identities in the country be encouraged.