Pluralistic Society Research Articles

Ethical Diversity, The Common Good, and The Courage of Dialogue

AbstractIn this article, Seamus Mulryan contends that dialogue about questions that matter to a body politic require the ethical virtue of courage, which is distinct from the virtue of intellectual humility, and this is of central importance in the education of members of a pluralist society. Mulryan begins with Robert Kunzman's theory of Ethical Dialogue and departs from it through Hans‐Georg Gadamer's theory of hermeneutic experience and Charles Taylor's claims about the inextricable relationship between self‐intelligibility and moral spaces. Finally, Mulryan illustrates the promises and perils of courageous dialogue as an educative activity by way of Plato's Meno, Protagoras, and Gorgias.

The Concept of Gus Dur's Humanism in Nusantara Islam

Gus Dur's concept of the indigenization of Islam is related to what is called Islam Nusantara, namely the embodiment of Islam through local traditions and culture of the archipelago. Thus rejecting local forms of Islam which are actually manifestations of Islamic universalism. That is, actually locality is colored by Islam, not vice versa, Islam is colored by locality. So that at this point, the indigenization of Islam found its urgency as a method in forming the Islam of the Archipelago. The formulation of the problem of this research is; What is Gus Dur's concept of humanism in Islam Nusantara and what are Gus Dur's contributions to Islam Nusantara. This study uses library research (library research), which is a collection of data or materials related to the theme of discussion and problems, which are taken from library sources and this type of research uses qualitative methods. The results of this study indicate that the relevance of Gusdur's concept of humanism to the Islam of the archipelago is as follows: First, according to Gus Dur his views on Islam are undergoing major changes. Second, according to Gus Dur, religion must be able to change people's morality by being patient and nurturing each other so that it conforms to Islamic teachings which are believed to be true by providing a good example as the main vehicle in the formation of morality that applies in the midst of a very high pluralistic society. Gus Dur also emphasized the value of monotheism in the concept of maqashid al-shari'ah which is embodied in the concept of kulliyatul khams, namely the aim of sharia to protect basic human rights.

Islamic Thought Offers in the Polemic of Fanaticism Religious Communities in Indonesia

This research aims to look at offers in inter-religious dialogue in Indonesia regarding the polemic of religious fanaticism. This research explains the Islamic thought approach of Nurcholis Madjid and Amin Abdullah using analytical descriptive methods which include qualitative research with data in the form of literature and journals that are still related to the theme. The data collection technique is a literature study that relies on the books Islam, Modernity and Indonesianness from Nurcholis Madjid and Religious Studies: Normativity or Historicity from Amin Abdullah and related journals. The findings achieved from this research are in the form of an understanding of the ideas of historicity, normativity and religious inclusivism which explains that all three have the same approach in creating peace in Indonesia. historicity with historical, anthropological and sociological approaches, both of which must be united to be able to see the diversity of Indonesian society. Nurcholis Madjid with the idea of inclusivism, he criticizes religious traditions which tend to be formalistic textualists, thus changing them with a normative-historical approach and a classical-modern approach to be contextualized in the diversity of Indonesia's pluralistic society. It can be seen that these two Islamic thinkers have contributed ideas that can be actualized for the continuation of peace between religious communities in Indonesia. Therefore, both of them have approaches that can be used in dialogue between religious communities as an offer to polemics about religious fanaticism in Indonesia.

Fostering Medical Students’ Commitment to Beneficence in Ethics Education

Fostering Medical Students’ Commitment to Beneficence in Ethics Education

ESCOLA INTERCULTURAL

This article is an excerpt from the theoretical contribution that underlies the Doctoral Thesis that investigates – NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR TRAINING BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS (PARFOR), IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SANTO ANTÔNIO DO IÇA – AMAZONAS. The study shows that approaching the principle of interculturality implies an understanding of culture and its diff erent conceptions. We are a multi-ethnic and plural society and this implies a diversity of cultures. The reductionist conception ended up hierarchizing cultures by thinking of them in an evolutionary process, as if one culture had to evolve to reach the level of another. Thus, for a long time it was understood that there was a superior culture and other inferior cultures that should have come to it. In this case, the culture understood as cultured was the culture of Western Europe and its expressions took place through art, music, dance, its language, its religion.

Communicating LGBTQ-supportive CSR for corporate legitimacy: a cultural discourse analysis in Hong Kong

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) towards the notions of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DE&I) draws a lot of attention in modern, pluralist society. The organizations’ communicative approach in conveying LGBTQ advocacy to manage tensions and avoid conflicts with various stakeholders is largely underexplored in the Asian context. This study adopts Carbaugh’s cultural discourse analysis (CuDA) to examine the socio-cultural meanings of LGBTQ-supportive CSR discourse for building corporate legitimacy in Hong Kong. CSR materials from leading corporations (2016–2022) and Facebook comments from the public were selected. We analyzed the CSR discourse using the five discursive hubs of CuDA (i.e. identity, emotions, actions, relations, and dwelling) and Suchman’s legitimacy theory (i.e. pragmatic, cognitive, and moral). Our findings revealed three different stages of corporate legitimacy: namely, symbolic, institutional, and contextualized LGBTQ advocacy. The CSR materials intertwining in the five discursive hubs also demonstrated how the organizations attempted to build corporate legitimacy by fostering social change and avoiding conflicts through positive and implicit message-framing of LGBTQ advocacy. Discourse reflected in these CSR strategies illuminated the importance of glocalizing CSR messages to facilitate stakeholder engagement and corporate legitimization in support of this controversially progressive value.

Engaging in a Secularized Public Sphere – a Possible Qur’anic Perspective?

Abstract For Habermas, social cohesion in liberal democratic societies is created and ensured by public discourse, which creates and regulates democratic virtues through non-hierarchical communication in which all citizens participate equally. According to the understanding of post-secularism, this public discourse must be secular. This requires religious citizens to translate religious arguments into secular ones in public discourse. However, it remains an open question to what extent religious citizens in plural societies can or want to participate in such a communication process based on their religious self-understanding. In this article, an attempt will be made to investigate this question, at least within the Islamic faith tradition. A Qur’anic narrative will be examined for possible indications of how the Qur’an conceives communication with those of different worldviews. The analyzed narrative reveals perspectives of understanding from which remarkable contributions to social cohesion can be derived.

New Public Management in A Pluralistic Society Perception of Gender Equity, Social Support, and Happiness: A Case Study of China Xiamen Donghai University

New Public Management in A Pluralistic Society Perception of Gender Equity, Social Support, and Happiness: A Case Study of China Xiamen Donghai University

Organizing Democracy: How International Organizations Assist New Democracies (by Paul Poast and Johannes Urpelainen)

Organizing Democracy: How International Organizations Assist New Democracies (by Paul Poast and Johannes Urpelainen)

The Zenú oral tradition as a didactic strategy to strengthen family communication

Oral tradition is a significant element within culture, especially for ethnic groups, such as the Zenú, who fight for its preservation, because for Zenú families, it is an important factor in keeping their worldview alive. From this perspective, teachers need to have didactic options to promote cultural identity, especially in the indigenous cabildos where family communication is weak and does not tend to promote the oral traditions so necessary to develop in a pluralistic and democratic society, a training alternative to build more democratic societies, from this perspective, the purpose of this research work is the implementation of oral tradition as a didactic strategy to strengthen family communication. The population to be addressed are the students, parents and teachers of the eighth grade of the San Francisco de Asis Educational Institution of Chinú, Córdoba. The sample is made up of 4 parents, 4 students and 4 teachers. This degree work is developed from the qualitative approach, and responds to the theoretical conception of participatory action research. Surveys and semi-structured interviews were used as data collection techniques, which allowed understanding the importance of promoting and revitalizing the oral tradition as a cultural and pedagogical element to strengthen family and community ties.

Tensions between inclusion and change in worldview education: can Joe F. Kincheloe’s bricolage help teachers navigate them?

ABSTRACT This paper delineates tensions that arguably are inherent to integrative Worldview Education in plural societies, due to the subject’s dual commitment to imperatives of inclusion and change. The imperative of inclusion stems from the subject’s mandate to integrate the whole plurality of pupils in society, whereas the imperative of change stems from the subject’s mandate to promote certain aims and values over others. The task of handling such tensions can be daunting, and teachers need resources that enable them to do so. The main aim of this paper is thus to provide a critical examination of the metaphor of bricolage, as it was conceptualised by Joe L. Kincheloe, in search of such resources. The examination points to the following chain of argument: (1) Kincheloe’s bricolage contains its own tensions between inclusion and change, due to its application of multiple methods, methodologies, and perspectives, combined with a desire to promote social change. (2) There is a strong overlap between the two sets of tensions. (3) Teachers should be aware of the distinct political and philosophical underpinnings of Kincheloe’s bricolage, and how these can create new tensions, possibly productive ones, if teaching and learning in Worldview Education is framed as bricolage work.

Local Political Policies with Shari'a Nuance in West Sumatra 2000-2018

The Shari'a Regional Regulation legitimizes the implementation of Islamic cultural values and Minangkabau culture in West Sumatra. Knowledge of the reality of regional regulation practice is important for harmonizing social and state life in a pluralistic society. This research aims to explain the relationship between the emergence of the Sharia Regional Regulation in West Sumatra and its implementation in city districts in West Sumatra. This research used historical methods, namely heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The final results of the research reveal the positive phenomenon of the implementation of Shari'a regulations in West Sumatra. The appearance of school children they dressed as Muslim. Before studying, students were accustomed to praying and memorizing several verses in the Al-Qur'an, attending a Ramadhan Islamic boarding school during the holy month of Ramadhan, and participating in Youth Wirid activities after Ramadhan. State Civil Servants (ASN) wore Muslim clothing during official hours. In certain areas, being able to read the Al-Qur’an was a condition for getting married. Regional regulations with Islamic nuances also showed the political content of the figures, social organizations and parties, legislative members (DPRD), and power politics. This study contributes to the importance of awareness and tolerance in social practices between religious communities in various community organizations and government agencies.

Framing Diversity Work Today: An Imperative for Excellence for a Pluralistic Society

Framing Diversity Work Today: An Imperative for Excellence for a Pluralistic Society

Upaya Gereja Mewujudkan Dialog Antar Umat Beragama dalam Konteks Kemajemukan Agama

On the one hand, religious pluralism is something that can enrich the life of the Indonesian nation, but on the other hand it can become fertile ground for disputes, divisions, even bloodshed between one religion and another as well as acts of conflict and terrorism in the name of religion. Therefore, to avoid the outbreak of conflict between religious communities which could lead to violence, every religious follower needs to make efforts for dialogue between religious communities. The aim of the research is to describe and analyze the form and process of dialogue between religious communities carried out by the church, namely the Kalimantan Evangelical Church (GKE) Sion Basarang, Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan Province (hereinafter referred to as GKE Sion Basarang) which is one of the churches that lives in a pluralistic society both in terms of religion and ethnicity. The method used is qualitative with a descriptive-analytic research approach. The research results show that the form of dialogue between religious communities at GKE Sion Basarang is work dialogue and theological dialogue, meanwhile there are two stages in the dialogue process between religious communities, namely the first stage takes place spontaneously because church members live side by side in a pluralistic society and the The second is systematic because it is carried out through meetings between religious leaders, namely priests and other religious leaders.

The Existence of Social Boundaries as a Factor of Violent Conflict in a Pluralistic Society

The Existence of Social Boundaries as a Factor of Violent Conflict in a Pluralistic Society

The Existence of Social Boundaries as a Factor of Violent Conflict in a Pluralistic Society

The Existence of Social Boundaries as a Factor of Violent Conflict in a Pluralistic Society

Indonesia Community Studies

Indonesian society is a heterogeneous society. To studying the heterogeneity of Indonesian society will be discussed successively in the understanding of Indonesian society, the structure of Indonesian society and the pluralism of Indonesian society. In discussing Indonesian society will put forward the concept of society and the differences between society and citizens. In discussing the structure of Indonesian society, unique aspects are examined vertically and horizontally. To discuss Indonesian pluralism society we can emphasizes ethnic diversity in Indonesia. This book describes the process of a pluralistic society becoming a multicultural society, how culture develops multiculturalism and how multicultural education can be used as a strategy to prevent and resolve possible conflicts that occurs in Indonesia’s pluralistic society. Indonesian culture can be seen as a system consisting of components that are interrelated and intertwined of the entire Indonesian people. To understand the Indonesian culture system requires basic cultural concepts from anthropology experts. Starting from the concept of culture and its function as a life guide, then a description of Indonesian community’s lifestyle, the diversity of Indonesian culture, along with value orientations culture of Indonesian society.

Pedagogical Complexities in Multicultural History Classrooms in Botswana Senior Secondary Schools

Botswana is a pluralistic society, yet its education system is tailored from a homogenous dimension. This paper interrogates the competence of history teachers in teaching multiculturally diverse classrooms. The study examined the challenges faced by History teachers in multiculturally diverse classrooms and the pedagogical approaches that could be used to combat that state of affairs. The study was pursued using the theoretical framework of Critical Pedagogy which ideologically advances that education within multicultural societies must be democratic and take into account social justice and diversity issues. The study implored the qualitative research methods and was pursued within 12 (N=12) senior secondary schools in 7 (N=7) educational regions in Botswana. A total of 36 (N=36) teachers and 120 (N=120) students participated in the study. The results indicate that the history teachers have no training on how to teach multiculturally diverse classrooms. Such a scenario end up frustrating both teachers and students since a lot of them end up feeling pedagogically isolated in the teaching-learning process. Therefore, there is need to rethink teacher training amongst the many factors which could help ameliorate this state of affairs.

Thoughts on Reading Kierkegaard in a Pluralist Society

Soren Kierkegaard’s Lutheran existentialism represents a distinctively postmetaphysical philosophy of religion, focused in particular on a Christian vision of ethical authenticity. His philosophy continues to pose challenging questions for postmetaphysical philosophers in contemporary pluralistic settings. Focusing on specific works of Kierkegaard, this essay develops three such questions: (1) Can philosophy in a postmetaphysical vein still give advice for the pursuit of the good life, today’s diversity of life styles and values notwithstanding? (2) How can a postmetaphysical philosophy relate to the ethical teachings and truth claims of religious doctrines? (3) Is postmetaphysical philosophy still capable of an “upbuilding and awakening” discourse that can induce and stabilize an ethical self-consciousness?

Exploring the Origins of Nigeria’s Present-Day Multi-Ethnic, Religious, Socio-Political, and Governmental Dynamics

This paper explores the deep-rooted factors that have shaped multi-ethnic religious, socio-political, and government politics in Nigeria. Nigeria, being a diverse country with hundreds of ethnic groups and a blend of various religions, has experienced complex dynamics that have influenced its contemporary political landscape. This analysis aims to shed light on the historical, socio-cultural, and economic factors that have contributed to the current state of multi-ethnic politics in the country. The process of colonization and subsequent independence marked a critical turning point in Nigeria’s political evolution. The amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups by the British colonial authorities created a complex tapestry of cultural, social, and political identities. These diverse ethnic groups, each with their own cultural heritage and religious beliefs, competed for resources, socio-political power, and representation within the government. Religion has played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s politics. The historical introduction of Islam and Christianity by foreign missionaries further deepened these divisions, as each religion gained its own following and exerted influence in different regions of the country. The intersection of religious beliefs with political ideologies and aspirations has given rise to unique political dynamics and challenges in Nigeria. Socio-economic factors have also contributed to Nigeria’s multi-ethnic political landscape. Ethnicity-based distribution of resources, economic inequalities, and uneven development across regions have fueled grievances and tensions between different ethnic groups. These inequalities have influenced the allocation of political power, government policies, and resource distribution, thereby affecting inter-ethnic relationships and political dynamics. Furthermore, the structure and operations of the Nigerian government have played a crucial role in shaping contemporary politics. The transition from military rule to democracy, although a positive step, has not entirely eradicated the legacy of authoritarianism on Nigeria’s political system. This legacy has influenced power dynamics, political patronage, and the struggle for control and influence among ethnic and religious groups. In conclusion, the roots of contemporary multi-ethnic religious, socio-political, and government politics in Nigeria can be traced back to historical factors, socio-cultural dynamics, economic disparities, and the structure of governance. Understanding these roots is essential for addressing the challenges associated with diverse ethnic and religious identities, promoting inclusivity, and fostering sustainable political development in Nigeria. A combination of historical research and contemporary ethnographic data was adopted to examine the development of the concept of a multi-ethnic or plural society. Existing literatures from journals was analyze qualitatively. It began by examining the historical roots of the multi-ethnic society, how it was understood in different societies and cultures throughout history. It moved on to examined the concept in a contemporary context, focusing on its application in the modern world. In particular, it explored the challenges and opportunities that a multi-ethnic or plural society presents, as well as the different ways in which it has been implemented in different countries. By delving into the rich tapestry of Nigerian society through qualitative methods, researchers can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the origins of its present-day dynamics.