Legal Pluralism and Customary Justice in Indonesia: Reconstructing Adat Law under State Legal Dominance
Kata Kunci:
Law, Justice, Legal Pluralism, Adat Law, Socio-Legal StudiesAbstrak
This study critically examines the enduring tension between state law and customary (adat) law in Indonesia through the lens of legal pluralism. While the Indonesian legal system formally acknowledges the existence of adat law, its application is often constrained by a rigid state-centered legal hierarchy that subordinates local justice institutions. This disconnect creates systemic limitations for communities that rely on traditional mechanisms to resolve disputes and uphold social order. Drawing on a socio-legal methodology, the research investigates how adat institutions operate within rural contexts and how their normative authority is gradually eroded, marginalized, or co-opted by formal state legal apparatuses. By analyzing case studies from Jambi, this study sheds light on the strategies employed by customary leaders to maintain legitimacy amidst overlapping and often conflicting legal orders. The findings reveal that legal pluralism in Indonesia remains fragmented, selectively recognized, and frequently instrumentalized by state actors, raising significant concerns about access to justice, legal identity, and the protection of indigenous legal traditions. Ultimately, the article argues for a reconceptualization of legal pluralism that affirms the autonomy and epistemological validity of adat law within a more inclusive and equitable legal ecology.
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Referensi
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Hak Cipta (c) 2025 Anggi Purnama Harahap, Ana Ramadhona, Maulidina Sari, Nurul Laylan Hasibuan (Author)
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