Legal pluralism can be defined as the existence of different legal mechanisms within a society. The interaction between state law and other laws, such as customary law, traditional law, religious law, and so on, is indeed unavoidable in the political and social arena. In this context, society has become a semi-autonomous entity due to its interaction with the state, which is a consequence of unification as the Indonesian nation. This time we will explore the various legal pluralism present in your region. Let’s delve into the following materials.

 

Material I

Please watch the following material:

Nenek Minah, from Banyumas, was sentenced to 1.5 months in prison with a 3-month probation period for stealing three cocoa fruits. The judge cried when reading the verdict to Nenek Minah. She always arrived on time for her court appearances. Because she was hungry, she stole cocoa to sell. However, law enforcement had to uphold the law strictly, thus disregarding humanitarian principles.

 

Assignment I

What is your opinion after watching the video? How is the legal condition in Indonesia? Look around you, is there a similar case to Nenek Minah in your village? If yes, please explain and share in a comment, what constitutes good law according to you?

 

Material II

Read one of the articles in the book Legal Pluralism, An Interdisciplinary Approach.

 

Assignment II

What lessons did you learn after reading the article? Share a story that happened in your village. What can you do in your village to explore the existing pluralism there? Provide an example.

 

(Provide your answers and comments via available social media to the tutors as agreed. Comments can be in the form of videos or texts)