Ms Nadia Farabi1
1Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia
Biography:
Nadia Farabi is a lecturer in International Relations at Universitas Diponegoro. She completed her PhD in 2024 at Griffith University with an Australia Awards Scholarship, where her research focused on the challenges of peacebuilding in conflicts involving claims of heresy, with a particular emphasis on the Ahmadiyya and Shia cases in Indonesia. Her article on this topic was recently published in the journal Conflict, Security, and Development in December 2024. After completing her studies, she returned to Indonesia and has since resumed teaching while consistently building her expertise in the field of human security.
Abstract:
This paper explores the persistent rejection and exclusion experienced by the Shia community in Sampang, Indonesia, despite their reconversion to Sunni Islam. While reconversion is often seen as a pathway to reconciliation and reintegration, heresy claims reveal how deeply entrenched social and emotional barriers can hinder such processes. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews with the internally displaced Shias, the study examines the interplay between trauma, collective memory, and local resistance to reintegration. By situating the case within the broader framework of International Relations, the paper highlights the role of emotions in perpetuating cycles of rejection and social fragmentation. The analysis underscores the limitations of peacebuilding initiatives that prioritise doctrinal conformity over addressing underlying emotional and structural grievances. It argues for a more nuanced understanding of how trauma and exclusion shape post-conflict dynamics, offering insights into the complexities of reconciliation efforts in deeply divided societies. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on emotions and identity in peacebuilding, with implications for both policy and practice in conflict resolution.