Yogyakarta, 12–14 Agustus 2025 — Dr. Samsul Hidayat, MA, dosen Program Studi Studi Agama-Agama (SAA) IAIN Pontianak, menjadi salah satu pemakalah pada Konferensi Internasional dan Simposium Studi Agama ke-13 yang diselenggarakan oleh Asosiasi Studi Agama Indonesia (ASAI). Kegiatan ini mengusung tema besar “Religion, Love, and Humanity: Transforming the World through Compassion and Empathy”, dan akan berlangsung di Hotel Grand Keisha, Yogyakarta.
Dalam forum ilmiah bergengsi ini, Dr. Samsul Hidayat mempresentasikan makalah berjudul “Faith, Empathy, and Coexistence: Religious Resilience of the Baha’i Community in Indonesia”. Penelitian dengan kolaborasi beberapa dosen seperti Sulaiman, Ikhsan Tanggok, dan Engseng Ho ini mengkaji ketahanan religius dan strategi adaptif komunitas Baha’i di Kalimantan Barat yang menghadapi marginalisasi struktural dan sosial akibat ketiadaan pengakuan resmi sebagai salah satu agama di Indonesia. Dengan pendekatan kualitatif studi kasus, Dr. Samsul mengungkap bagaimana praktik keagamaan, pendidikan lintas iman, dan adaptasi budaya lokal menjadi instrumen perlawanan non-konfrontatif sekaligus negosiasi identitas.
Temuan utama penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa komunitas Baha’i membangun legitimasi sosial melalui tiga strategi utama: (1) pendidikan moral lintas iman yang terbuka bagi semua kalangan, (2) kegiatan ekonomi berbasis komunitas untuk kemandirian dan integrasi sosial, serta (3) adaptasi simbol dan bahasa untuk memperkuat penerimaan masyarakat sekitar. Pendekatan ini menegaskan bahwa empati dan koeksistensi bukan hanya strategi bertahan hidup, tetapi fondasi bagi rekonstruksi identitas dan penguatan pluralisme.
Konferensi ini akan dihadiri oleh para dosen, mahasiswa, peneliti, dan pegiat studi agama-agama dari berbagai perguruan tinggi di Indonesia serta perwakilan dari International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR). Kehadiran Dr. Samsul Hidayat di forum ini diharapkan dapat memperkaya wacana akademik tentang pluralisme, ketahanan komunitas minoritas, dan pentingnya membangun harmoni melalui kasih sayang dan empati.
Building Pluralism through Empathy: Resilience and Adaptation of the Baha’i Community in Indonesia
Yogyakarta, August 12–14, 2025 — Dr. Samsul Hidayat, MA, a lecturer in the Comparative Religion Study Program (SAA) at IAIN Pontianak, will be one of the presenters at the 13th International Conference and Symposium on Religious Studies organized by the Indonesian Association for the Study of Religion (ASAI). This event carries the overarching theme “Religion, Love, and Humanity: Transforming the World through Compassion and Empathy” and will take place at the Grand Keisha Hotel, Yogyakarta.
In this prestigious academic forum, Dr. Samsul Hidayat will present a paper entitled “Faith, Empathy, and Coexistence: Religious Resilience of the Baha’i Community in Indonesia.” This research examines the religious resilience and adaptive strategies of the Baha’i community in West Kalimantan, which faces structural and social marginalization due to the lack of official recognition as one of Indonesia’s religions. Using a qualitative case study approach, Dr. Samsul reveals how religious practices, interfaith education, and local cultural adaptation serve as instruments of non-confrontational resistance as well as identity negotiation.
The main findings of this study show that the Baha’i community builds social legitimacy through three key strategies: (1) interfaith moral education open to people of all backgrounds, (2) community-based economic activities for self-reliance and social integration, and (3) the adaptation of symbols and language to strengthen acceptance within the surrounding society. This approach emphasizes that empathy and coexistence are not merely survival strategies but are the foundation for identity reconstruction and the strengthening of pluralism.
The conference will be attended by lecturers, students, researchers, and interfaith activists from various universities in Indonesia, as well as representatives from the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR). Dr. Samsul Hidayat’s participation in this forum is expected to enrich academic discourse on pluralism, minority community resilience, and the importance of building harmony through compassion and empathy.
