Open Access

A Communication-Based Framework for Understanding the Evolution of Tolerance in Bekasi City: From Intolerant to Inclusive Urban Society

4 Department of Scientific Management Studies National Institute of Advanced Research, New Delhi, India
4 School of Management and Innovation Central Research University, Mumbai, India

Abstract

The transformation of Bekasi City from being identified as one of Indonesia’s most intolerant urban areas into a city recognized for its commitment to tolerance represents a significant social and governance phenomenon. This study develops a communication-based framework to explain how public communication, interfaith dialogue, policy adaptation, stakeholder collaboration, and symbolic representation contributed to the evolution of tolerance within the city. Using a qualitative review approach based exclusively on documented sources relating to intolerance, religious conflict, local government initiatives, and tolerance achievements in Bekasi, the study examines the mechanisms that facilitated social transformation. The findings indicate that tolerance development was not merely the result of regulatory changes but emerged through continuous communication among government institutions, religious leaders, civil society actors, and citizens. Public narratives promoting diversity, institutional support for interfaith engagement, and strategic responses to incidents of intolerance contributed to reshaping collective perceptions. The study proposes a communication-based framework consisting of policy communication, symbolic communication, intergroup dialogue, crisis management communication, and community participation. The research contributes to urban governance and social cohesion literature by demonstrating how communication processes can facilitate inclusive urban development and strengthen tolerance in heterogeneous societies.

Keywords

References

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