Contestation And Negotiation In Religious Social Identity Construction: Case Studies in Hindu Chinese Community in Jakarta

Abstract

While many Chinese people who have strong religious identity as a Christian, Islam, and Buddhism, as well as recognition of Confucianism as a religion that most closely with the ethnic identity of the Chinese in Indonesia, but in reality there is a Chinese community that choose to convert to Hinduism which is considered as a minority religion. While the public constructs a stereotypes about Chinese people who are considered as an opportunistic people which was under the influence of the ruling or dominant structure, on the other hand, the Hindu Chinese community considered themselves as pure as religion community. By using qualitative approach, this research attempts to explain the process of hybrid identity construction of Hindu Chinese Community in Jakarta, included their conflict and integration. In addition to describing the dynamics of the history of their community, this study would also explain why the integration between the Chinese and the Hindu to be something difficult to do (at least for now).