Social Media and the Emerging of People’s Participation into the Political and Democratic Process of Indonesia: The Case of Act for Regional Leaders Election

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article describes on the people’s criticism participation through social media to eject the UU PILKADA (Undang-Undang Pemilihan Langsung Kepala Daerah or Act for Regional Leaders Election) in Indonesia, which has been changed the electoral system from “direct” by people to “indirect” by the DPR (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or People’s Representative Council ); and considered as a violent to their rights, sovereignty, and duties in politics and democratic processes. By using a qualitative content analysis, this study shows that social media has important roles for building of new people’s participatory cultures; and effective for defending and performing of their rights and duties in political and democratic processes in Indonesia. Although this study not elaborates a special relationship between social media and citizenship education, it may be enlarged circuit for people to express an “ethics political culture” than a “streets political culture”; and employed as a powerful platform for those to construct a citizenship culture and identity within the context of citizenship education. So, it is very important for widening student’s horizons of citizenship education, and very meaningful for a student in building democratic attitudes. In other words, social media can expand possibilities for citizenship education to bring a classroom to life, no longer limited by four walls. KEY WORDS: Social Media; People’s Participation; Political and Democratic Process; Elections in Indonesia. About the Author: Prof . Dr. Mohammad Imam Farisi is a Lecturer at the Department of Citizenship Education, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training UT ( Universitas Terbuka or Indonesia Open University), UPBJJ-UT Jember, Jalan Kaliurang No.2-A, Sumbersari, Jember 68121, East Java, Indonesia. For academic interests, the Author is able to be contacted via his e-mails address at: imamfarisi@ecampus.ut.ac.id and farisi1965@gmail.com Suggested Citation: Farisi, Mohammad Imam. (2019). “Social Media and the Emerging of People’s Participation into the Political and Democratic Process of Indonesia: The Case of Act for Regional Leaders Election” in TAWARIKH: Journal of Historical Studies , Volume 11(1), October, pp.43-64. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI, with ISSN 2085-0980 (print) and ISSN 2685-2284 (online). Article Timeline: Accepted (June 22, 2019); Revised (August 24, 2019); and Published (October 30, 2019).