Religion and Development: The Indonesian Peace Alliance's Role in Mitigating Social Challenges and Fostering Peace

Abstrak

This study aims to examine the role of Aliansi Indonesia Damai (AIDA) in addressing social problems and promoting peace at the community level. The key concepts include civil society organizations, peacebuilding, social capital, and conflict transformation. This research employs a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach, using in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis as data collection techniques. The object of the study is AIDA’s institutional activities and social practices, particularly in dialogue programs, victim assistance, and peace education initiatives. The findings indicate that AIDA operates as an effective non-state actor in producing peace narratives, strengthening cross-identity social networks, and transforming collective trauma into social learning. Major challenges include limited resources, reliance on volunteer networks, and cultural resistance within certain communities. The study recommends strengthening institutional capacity, increasing policy support for local peace organizations, and integrating peace education into broader public spaces. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of how local organizations can serve as strategic agents of sustainable peacebuilding in plural societies.