Revisiting the Shariatism Thesis: Islam, Ethno-
Natonalisme and the Remaking of Hybrid Identites in
Post-Conflict Aceh, Indonesia
M. Alkaf
1
, Irwan Abdullah
2
, Zuly Qodir
3,
Hasse Jubba
4
{alkaf.muchtar@gmail.com
1
, irwan.fib@ugm.ac.id
2
, zulyqodir@umy.ac.id
3
, hasse@umy.ac.id
4
}
Islamic Politics-Political Science Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
1,3,4
, Gadjah Mada
University
2
,
Abstract. This study discusses the intersections of religion, ethnicity and
nationalism in the post-conflict of Aceh, which focuses on the construction of
Aceh hybrid identities. Based on empirical data of interviews, observation and
documentation collected from 2017 to 2021, this study argues the victory of
Shariatism in remaking of Acehnese contemporary identity discourse. This
study also argued that the development of post-conflict local democracy
contributes This study discusses the intersections of religion, ethnicity and
nationalism in the post-conflict of Aceh, which focuses on the construction of
Acehnese hybrid identities. Based on empirical data of interviews, observation
and documentation collected from 2017 to 2012, this study argues the victory of
Shariatism in remaking of Acehnese contemporary identity discourse. This
study also argues that the development of post-conflict local democracy
contributes significantly to the construction of hybrid identities in Aceh, which
is more dominated by ethnonationalism than Shariatism and Islamism ideology.
To defend this theory, the authors explore three pivotal aspects, including the
consistent victory of a local political party in Aceh which carries the idea of
Acehnese nationalism in three post-conflict elections; the reception and
Acehnese custom and cultural dominance against Sharia canons; and integration
of Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jamaah doctrine. This study concludes that the local
democracy in the post-conflict of Aceh contributes significantly to the formation
of the hybrid identities which are dominated by the idea of ethnonationalism
than Islamism. The formation then eliminates the binary opposition and
reconstructs a new identity in the post-conflict of Aceh.
Keywords: Shariatism; ethnonationalism; hybrid identities; post-conflict of
Aceh
1 Introduction
The implication of growing local democracy emerges after the post-conflict in Aceh
Province, Indonesia, due to the identity crosses of Islam and ethnonationalism. Most people
still consider that both identities are in binary opposition and mutually competing. Despite the
ICON-DEMOST 2021, September 15, Semarang, Indonesia
Copyright © 2022 EAI
DOI 10.4108/eai.15-9-2021.2315574