Dynamics of Multiculturalism in Southeast Asia: Cultural Identity of Rohingya Muslim Refugees in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

English

This study analyzes the dynamics of multiculturalism and the cultural acculturation of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Aceh, Indonesia, focusing on cultural identity, social interaction, and the education of the younger generation. Aceh was chosen as the research locus because it has consistently welcomed Rohingya since 2015, driven by cultural values and Islamic solidarity. A qualitative approach and case studies were used to understand how Rohingya identity is conveyed, negotiated, and maintained within the Acehnese social context. The results indicate that acculturation occurs primarily in the religious dimension and daily practices but is selective and limited. Language barriers, the separation of living spaces through refugee camps, and the lack of legal status limit deeper social integration. The interaction between the two communities is more reflective of surface multiculturalism based on humanitarian empathy rather than structural integration. Meanwhile, education and the second generation of Rohingya show significant potential as agents of more adaptive acculturation through schooling and informal training. This study concludes that multiculturalism in Aceh is situational and requires more inclusive policy support, particularly in education, access to social interaction, and residential stability, so that relations between the Acehnese and Rohingya communities can develop sustainably and integratively.

Indonesian

Penelitian ini menganalisis dinamika multikulturalisme dan proses akulturasi budaya pengungsi Muslim Rohingya di Aceh, Indonesia, dengan fokus pada identitas budaya, interaksi sosial, serta pendidikan generasi muda. Aceh dipilih sebagai locus penelitian karena menjadi wilayah yang secara konsisten menerima Rohingya sejak 2015, didorong oleh nilai budaya peumulia jamee dan solidaritas keislaman. Pendekatan kualitatif dan studi kasus digunakan untuk memahami bagaimana identitas Rohingya dibawa, dinegosiasikan, dan dipertahankan dalam konteks sosial Aceh. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa akulturasi terjadi terutama pada dimensi keagamaan dan praktik keseharian, namun bersifat selektif dan terbatas. Kendala bahasa, pemisahan ruang hidup melalui camp pengungsian, serta ketiadaan status hukum membatasi integrasi sosial secara lebih mendalam. Interaksi antara kedua komunitas lebih mencerminkan surface multiculturalism yang berlandaskan empati kemanusiaan daripada integrasi struktural. Sementara itu, pendidikan dan generasi kedua Rohingya menunjukkan potensi signifikan sebagai agen akulturasi yang lebih adaptif melalui sekolah dan pelatihan informal. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa multikulturalisme di Aceh bersifat situasional dan membutuhkan dukungan kebijakan yang lebih inklusif, terutama dalam pendidikan, akses interaksi sosial, serta stabilitas tempat tinggal, agar hubungan antara masyarakat Aceh dan Rohingya dapat berkembang secara berkelanjutan dan integratif.

Keywords

• acculturation
• multiculturalism
• muslim minorities
• Rohingya