KONTEKS MAYORITAS VS. MINORITAS: IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP STATUS KELEMBAGAAN PENDIDIKAN ISLAM DI INDONESIA DAN AUSTRALIA

Abstrak

This study examines how majority–minority religious demographics shape the institutional status of Islamic education in Indonesia and Australia. Employing a comparative qualitative approach through document analysis, the research investigates key dimensions including legal recognition, funding structures, curricular autonomy, and institutional adaptation strategies in both national contexts. The findings indicate that in Indonesia, where Muslims constitute the majority, Islamic educational institutions receive structural legitimacy through a state-affirmation model supported by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This model grants substantial autonomy in developing religious curricula and enables Islamic schools and madrasahs to integrate religious and general education without significant coercive pressures from the state. In contrast, Australia represents a minority context in which Islamic schools operate as independent institutions that rely heavily on government funding tied to secular accreditation requirements. This reliance generates strong coercive isomorphic pressures, compelling Islamic schools to adopt national curriculum standards and managerial practices to secure institutional legitimacy and financial sustainability. Consequently, Islamic schools in Australia develop hybrid identity strategies that balance the dual demands of integration into the broader educational system and the preservation of Islamic values. The study concludes that majority–minority dynamics serve as a critical determinant of institutional design, shaping the regulatory environment, curricular autonomy, and adaptive strategies of Islamic educational institutions. These findings offer theoretical contributions to state–religion relations and institutional theory while providing practical policy implications for strengthening Islamic education governance in both Indonesia and Australia.