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Integrating Multicultural Perspectives in History Education under the Merdeka Curriculum: A Critical Case Study from Post-Colonial Indonesia

Indonesian Journal of History Education · Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 39–60

DOI
10.15294/ijhe.v11.i1.9432
ISSN
2549-0354, 2252-6641
Published
2026-03-15
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng

Abstract

Abstract: This study critically explores the incorporation of multicultural perspectives within history education under Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum at SMA Negeri 1 Lasem, a school characterised by considerable ethnic and religious plurality. Employing a qualitative case-study approach, the research scrutinises teachers' conceptualisations and applications of multicultural values, along with the obstacles they encounter and students' perceptions of such learning. Findings indicate that although teachers display commitment to tolerance and inclusivity, multicultural integration remains superficial, involving tokenistic content inclusion that fails to engage with the structural and epistemological dimensions of transformative education. This superficiality is compounded by ambiguous curriculum guidelines, insufficient professional development, and persistent examination-driven teaching practices. The study contends that meaningful multicultural history education in post-colonial settings must move beyond tolerance discourse towards critical interrogation of power, narrative construction, and the epistemic foundations of historical knowledge. Abstrak: Studi ini secara kritis mengkaji integrasi perspektif multikultural dalam pendidikan sejarah di bawah Kurikulum Merdeka di SMA Negeri 1 Lasem, sekolah dengan keragaman etnis dan agama signifikan. Menggunakan pendekatan studi kasus kualitatif, penelitian menelaah konseptualisasi dan penerapan nilai multikultural oleh guru, hambatan yang dihadapi, dan persepsi siswa. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa meski guru berkomitmen pada toleransi, integrasi multikultural masih dangkal, menyertakan konten simbolis tanpa menyentuh dimensi struktural dan epistemologis pendidikan transformatif. Kedangkalan diperparah oleh pedoman kurikulum ambigu, kurangnya pengembangan profesional, dan praktik pengajaran berorientasi ujian. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa pendidikan sejarah multikultural yang bermakna di konteks pascakolonial harus melampaui wacana toleransi menuju telaah kritis kekuasaan, konstruksi narasi, dan fondasi epistemik sejarah.

Keywords

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32 authors · 62 co-authorship links

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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Arif PurnomoAffiliation unknown6
Ganda Febri KurniawanAffiliation unknown3
Jayusman JayusmanAffiliation unknown2
Tambi TambiAffiliation unknown1
Abdul joharAffiliation unknown1
Arum Sekar KemuningAffiliation unknown1
Ratna ApriliaAffiliation unknown1
Slamet DumadiAffiliation unknown1
Rika CahyaniAffiliation unknown1
Em SereyrathAffiliation unknown1
Tesalonika Kristina CendaniAffiliation unknown1
Resti PujianiAffiliation unknown1
Suwito Eko PramonoAffiliation unknown1
Nur Anisa AgustinAffiliation unknown1
R. SuharsoAffiliation unknown1
Rosa WardayantiAffiliation unknown1
Soni SumarsonoAffiliation unknown1
Atno AtnoAffiliation unknown1
Amalia Sekar KasihAffiliation unknown1
Ratna Sri WulandariAffiliation unknown1
Muhamad Jufri SuryawanAffiliation unknown1
Bain BainAffiliation unknown1
Karina Hasbi JantariAffiliation unknown1
Qonita FadhilaAffiliation unknown1
Amir KarimiAffiliation unknown1
Abdul MuntholibAffiliation unknown1
Sri Bulan RahmawatiAffiliation unknown1
Sinta RahayuAffiliation unknown1
Rosa KusumaAffiliation unknown1
Nor YulifahAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijhe/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Integrating Multicultural Perspectives in History Education under the Merdeka Curriculum: A Critical Case Study from Post-Colonial Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Putri, Adinda Dwita</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Romadi, Romadi</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Multicultural Education; History Education; Merdeka Curriculum; Post-Colonial Pedagogy; Indonesia</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Abstract: This study critically explores the incorporation of multicultural perspectives within history education under Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum at SMA Negeri 1 Lasem, a school characterised by considerable ethnic and religious plurality. Employing a qualitative case-study approach, the research scrutinises teachers' conceptualisations and applications of multicultural values, along with the obstacles they encounter and students' perceptions of such learning. Findings indicate that although teachers display commitment to tolerance and inclusivity, multicultural integration remains superficial, involving tokenistic content inclusion that fails to engage with the structural and epistemological dimensions of transformative education. This superficiality is compounded by ambiguous curriculum guidelines, insufficient professional development, and persistent examination-driven teaching practices. The study contends that meaningful multicultural history education in post-colonial settings must move beyond tolerance discourse towards critical interrogation of power, narrative construction, and the epistemic foundations of historical knowledge.
 
Abstrak: Studi ini secara kritis mengkaji integrasi perspektif multikultural dalam pendidikan sejarah di bawah Kurikulum Merdeka di SMA Negeri 1 Lasem, sekolah dengan keragaman etnis dan agama signifikan. Menggunakan pendekatan studi kasus kualitatif, penelitian menelaah konseptualisasi dan penerapan nilai multikultural oleh guru, hambatan yang dihadapi, dan persepsi siswa. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa meski guru berkomitmen pada toleransi, integrasi multikultural masih dangkal, menyertakan konten simbolis tanpa menyentuh dimensi struktural dan epistemologis pendidikan transformatif. Kedangkalan diperparah oleh pedoman kurikulum ambigu, kurangnya pengembangan profesional, dan praktik pengajaran berorientasi ujian. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa pendidikan sejarah multikultural yang bermakna di konteks pascakolonial harus melampaui wacana toleransi menuju telaah kritis kekuasaan, konstruksi narasi, dan fondasi epistemik sejarah.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-03-15</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijhe/article/view/9432</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/ijhe.v11.i1.9432</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Indonesian Journal of History Education; Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): Memory, Pedagogy, Critique; 39-60</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2549-0354</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2252-6641</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/ijhe.v11.i1</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijhe/article/view/9432/11769</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Indonesian Journal of History Education</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>