Indonesia
Poso, a city in Central Sulawesi, was rocked by sectarian violence two decades ago. That portrait of religious conflict now sits at the heart of research by a student in the Multicultural Islamic Education Doctoral Program, which examines the multicultural values that have taken root in the region since.
The doctoral research was conducted by Saepudin Mashuri, a lecturer at IAIN Palu currently pursuing his PhD in Multicultural Islamic Education. His study focused specifically on the integration of multicultural values within Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teaching at SMAN 3 Poso and SMKN 1 Poso.
Using a qualitative approach, the research gathered data through participant observation, in depth interviews, and documentation. Findings were processed using interactive analysis for single site data and comparative constant analysis for cross site findings.
The integration of multicultural values unfolded through a long process at both SMAN 3 Poso and SMKN 1 Poso, schools whose student populations are dominated by different religious communities. SMKN 1 Poso is predominantly Christian, while SMAN 3 Poso is predominantly Muslim.
The research found that multicultural values integrated into PAI teaching at both schools closely reflect the realities of student diversity. These universal multicultural values include mutual forgiveness, compassion, mutual respect, care, tolerance, solidarity, and peace.
To support this integration process, PAI teachers at both schools designed, implemented, and evaluated their lessons with the explicit goal of building multicultural character among students.
The findings show that PAI teaching grounded in a multicultural perspective, applied across both post conflict schools, has produced results in at least three dimensions of life: countering radicalism, strengthening peace within the two schools themselves, and reinforcing broader peace efforts across the Poso region. (AL/NAD/PPS)
