The Sunan Ampel Review of Political and Social Sciences

Understanding Muslim Uyghur in Xinjiang: A Path-Dependent Analysis

2026-06-13T00:27:29+00:00

This article explores why the Chinese government has implemented repressive policies against Muslim Uyghurs. It focuses on the socio-political tensions between local groups and state authority in Xinjiang. Before the 1980s, Uyghurs enjoyed relative tolerance under the Communist regime. The collapse of the USSR sparked ethnic nationalism across Central Asia, fueling popular desires for independence in Xinjiang and leading to political conflicts. Because Muslim Uyghurs frequently participated in social unrest, Chinese authorities linked separatist and terrorist activities to Islam. Under the guise of a war on terrorism, the government used this narrative to justify oppressive actions against Uyghurs. However, Xinjiang's structural issues, such as social exclusion, economic inequality, and discrimination, contribute to the worsening of inter-ethnic tensions. To address this deep-rooted conflict and maintain social stability in Xinjiang, the central authority decides to reshape the identity of the Muslim Uyghurs. The establishment of re-education camps marks the apex of a historical process planned to erase Uyghur cultural identity and promote integration into a unified, majority-aligned national culture.

Beyond Political Branding: Political Silat as a Cultural Framework for Digital Leadership Communication

2026-08-07T09:56:01+00:00

This article examines Prabowo Subianto’s political strategy as represented through the Total Politik YouTube channel by analyzing the construction of political imagery and soft power practices within the framework of “political silat.” In the context of Indonesia’s evolving digital democracy, political legitimacy is increasingly shaped not only through institutional mechanisms but also through the ability to construct narratives, symbols, and public representations across digital platforms. This research employs a qualitative approach utilizing content analysis and political discourse analysis to investigate how Prabowo’s political identity is produced and communicated through digital media. The data were derived from three major episodes of the Total Politik YouTube channel that extensively addressed Prabowo’s political strategies and maneuvers during the 2024–2025 period. The findings indicate that Prabowo’s political image is constructed through three interconnected dimensions: power reconciliation, cultural symbolism, and the moral discourse of nationalism. These dimensions illustrate a strategic transformation from a predominantly confrontational political orientation toward a soft power approach emphasizing negotiation, adaptability, and symbolic legitimacy. The study argues that “political silat” represents a culturally embedded model of power communication that combines firmness and flexibility in managing political relations. This research contributes to broader discussions on political communication, digital media, and the role of local cultural frameworks in understanding contemporary leadership strategies within democratic societies.

Hexahelix Collaborative Model Based on Local Wisdom in the Prevention of Child Marriage in Gorontalo Regency

2026-09-10T02:56:59+00:00

The purpose of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of collaboration between actors in preventing child marriage,local wisdom as a supporting factor and collaboration challenges as well as a cooperative governance model that can strengthen efforts to prevent child marriage in Gorontalo Regency.Using a qualitative approach method with an exploratory research design, which aims to develop a Hexahelix collaborative model based on local wisdom.The results of the study show that collaboration between actors in child prevention in Gorontalo Regency has not been effective due to the lack of collaboration between actors,there has been no exchange of information, decision-making is still dominated by the Government, and local wisdom has not been integrated in the governance system.Local wisdom is still dual, meaning that it can be a supporting and inhibiting factor in child marriage.The philosophy of Adati Hula-Hula'a To Sara'a,Sara'a Hula-Hula'a To Kuru'ani functions as a social control,but there are still certain practices that still use customary legitimacy to support child marriage.Based on these findings,this study developed a Hexahelix Governance Model Based on the Institutionalization of Local Wisdom,which places the institutionalization of local wisdom among the collaboration actors.This research offers a theoretical contribution through the development of the concept of Institutionalization of Local Wisdom as the core of governance in the Hexahelix Model which expands the study of government collaboration.This research places local wisdom can be the main tool that connects collaboration in the effectiveness of governance in preventing child marriage in Gorontalo Regency.

Employee Resilience and Performance: Examining Organizational Citizenship Behavior as a Mediator Through the Lens of Islamic Work Ethics

2026-09-17T05:15:18+00:00

Organizations operating in dynamic and demanding environments require employees who can adapt to workplace pressures while voluntarily contributing beyond their formal roles. Employee resilience is a critical individual capacity that sustains constructive behavior under stress; however, the mechanism linking resilience to organizational performance remains underexplored, particularly through employees' discretionary social behaviors. This study examines the mediating role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) in the relationship between employee resilience and employee performance, while positioning OCB as a manifestation of Islamic Work Ethics in organizational settings. A quantitative explanatory design was employed, with data collected from 225 employees at PT Beton Prima Indonesia and analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that employee resilience significantly and positively affects both OCB and employee performance, while OCB significantly enhances performance and partially mediates the resilience–performance relationship. These findings suggest that resilient employees are more inclined to engage in voluntary behaviors, including assisting colleagues and supporting organizational objectives. Viewed through Islamic Work Ethics, such behaviors embody the values of amanah (accountability), ta'awun (cooperation), and ihsan (excellence), portraying work as both an economic and social-moral obligation. This study extends organizational behavior literature by framing OCB as an observable expression of ethical workplace values, bridging human resource management and Islamic ethical principles.

Negotiating Sustainability: Indonesia's Counter-Narrative in Response to European Union Pressure on Palm Oil

2026-09-14T03:17:19+00:00

Previous studies have examined Indonesia’s palm oil diplomacy and the development of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification system. However, less attention has been paid to how Indonesia responds to European Union pressure on palm oil sustainability through discursive and institutional strategies. This article examines how #SawitBaik and ISPO operate together as counter-narrative strategies in responding to European Union regulatory pressure on palm oil sustainability. Using a qualitative case study based on document analysis, the study draws on materials covering ISPO from 2011 to 2026, #SawitBaik from 2019 to 2026, relevant European Union regulatory documents from 2018 onward and independent empirical studies. The analysis applies a relational understanding of counter-narrative and assesses the degree of correspondence between public representation, institutional response and observable evidence. The findings show that #SawitBaik works primarily through discursive reframing, emphasizing economic contribution, smallholder livelihoods, comparative land productivity and national interest. ISPO provides an institutional response through nationally governed sustainability standards and certification mechanisms. Yet, the empirical grounding of these counter-narratives varies across individual claims. Claims concerning palm oil’s economic significance, comparative crop productivity and the existence of national sustainability governance receive relatively strong support. Claims related to smallholder welfare, social conditions and certification reach are more uneven. Other representations become predominantly rhetorical, particularly regarding broader environmental sustainability and harmonious relations between plantations and communities. The study contributes to counter-narrative analysis by showing how discursive negotiation and institutional adaptation can operate together even as they differ in their degree of empirical grounding.

Between Harmonization and Fragmentation: Constructing Global Halal Norms Through SMIIC

2026-09-21T07:56:32+00:00

This study analyzes the harmonization and fragmentation of global halal norms through SMIIC (The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries), which serves as the main instrument of the OIC in harmonizing halal standards across the Muslim world. Using literature studies and a constructivist approach (the norm diffusion framework) by Finnemore & Sikkink (1998), this research examines how SMIIC functions as a socializing agent of global halal norms through three stages: norm emergence, norm cascade, and norm internalization. This article finds that the agent of socialization of global halal norms in the Islamic world is not only SMIIC which stands alone, there is a role for Turkey in the process of norm emergence. Turkey is not only a norm entrepreneur, but more deeply, a norm stimulator (constructing the architecture of global halal standards, including financing, drafting initial standards, and structuring the SMIIC organization). Furthermore, the study describes that in the norm cascading stage there are various training programs, exhibitions, scientific forums, and international agreements. Meanwhile, at the norm internalization stage, this can be seen from the increase of OIC member countries in ratifying SMIIC. Although participation has increased significantly (with 45 out of 57 OIC member states ratifying SMIIC), there remain ideological fragmentations among Islamic schools of thought (Sunni, Shia, Wahhabi) and political-economic rivalries that challenge harmonization efforts. The halal standard is also used as a tool for protectionism in trade. Thus, the socialization of halal norms through SMIIC is not entirely linear but is filled with negotiations, resistance, and the reconstruction of sectarian identities and market interests within the Muslim world.