Identity Politics in Presidential Elections: A Case Study of the 2019 Presidential Election in Surakarta
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65310/eyh2bv69Keywords:
Electoral behavior, Identity politics, Political mobilization, Presidential election, SurakartaAbstract
This study examines identity politics in the 2019 Indonesian presidential election in Surakarta by focusing on regional, religious, social, and symbolic dimensions of electoral mobilization. Using a qualitative case-study approach, data were collected through interviews, observation, documentation, and supporting electoral records involving political actors, campaign teams, election organizers, and relevant secondary sources. The findings show that identity politics operated through several interconnected channels, particularly regional attachment to Joko Widodo as a figure strongly associated with Surakarta, Ma’ruf Amin’s religious networks, campaign engagement with Islamic organizations, and digital political narratives. Electoral data also indicate a strong advantage for the Jokowi–Ma’ruf ticket across the five districts of Surakarta, although aggregate results cannot independently prove identity as the sole cause of voting behavior. The study further finds that identity-based mobilization interacted with candidate image, organizational networks, media framing, economic considerations, and local political experience. Therefore, identity politics in Surakarta functioned primarily as a contextual resource for political communication and mobilization rather than as a single determinant of electoral choice. These findings underscore the multidimensional character of voter preferences within Indonesia’s plural democratic society.
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