Religious Legitimacy in Politics: An Analysis of Islamic Political Communication and Ethical Contradictions amid Corruption Practices in Indonesia Legitimasi Agama dalam Politik: Analisis Komunikasi Politik Islam dan Kontradiksi Etis di Tengah Praktik Korupsi di Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Religious symbols increasingly shape political communication in Indonesia, where religious legitimacy is frequently employed to construct moral authority in electoral politics. This trend becomes contradictory when ethical religious narratives coexist with persistent corruption involving political elites.

Method: This study applies a qualitative approach using critical discourse analysis to examine Islamic political communication, media framing, and symbolic religious narratives in Indonesian political discourse.

Results: The findings reveal that religious legitimacy is produced through moral framing, symbolic authority, and mediatized religious messaging that shapes public perceptions of political morality. However, such legitimacy largely operates at the performative and symbolic level, functioning as political image construction rather than ethical governance practice. The coexistence of religious rhetoric and corruption scandals indicates a structural disjunction between moral claims and institutional political behavior.

Conclusions: Religious political communication has shifted toward performative legitimacy, positioning religion as an instrument of political persuasion rather than ethical accountability, thereby generating tensions within democratic governance.

Another Language Abstract

Pendahuluan: Simbol keagamaan semakin membentuk komunikasi politik di Indonesia, di mana legitimasi religius digunakan untuk membangun otoritas moral dalam kontestasi elektoral. Fenomena ini menjadi kontradiktif ketika narasi etika keagamaan berdampingan dengan praktik korupsi elite politik.

Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui studi kepustakaan yang dipadukan dengan analisis wacana kritis untuk mengkaji komunikasi politik Islam, framing media, dan konstruksi simbolik narasi keagamaan.

Hasil: Temuan menunjukkan bahwa legitimasi religius dikonstruksi melalui framing moral, otoritas simbolik, dan komunikasi yang termediasi media dalam membentuk persepsi publik. Namun, legitimasi tersebut cenderung bersifat performatif dan simbolik, lebih sebagai konstruksi citra politik daripada praktik etika.

Simpulan: Komunikasi politik berbasis agama bergeser menjadi legitimasi performatif yang menempatkan agama sebagai instrumen persuasi politik, sehingga menimbulkan ketegangan dalam tata kelola demokrasi.

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