ABSTRACT
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. Following the 1998 reform, the country transitioned from three decades of Suharto's authoritarian rule to a democratic system. The study of democracy is essential for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as history demonstrates that democracy fosters good governance, peace, and justice within society. This study aims to map academic trends on democracy in Indonesia by analysing articles indexed in Scopus from 1998 to 2024 using bibliometric analysis. The findings show that Robert W. Hefner is the most prolific author in this field, while Boston University ranks as the top institution publishing related research. UIN Syarif Hidayatullah also appears among the top 30 contributing institutions. The top five keywords identified are “civil society,” “political Islam,” “authoritarianism,” “religion,” and “Asia.” The most prominent trending topics include “Islamic Law,” “Civil Religion,” “Identity Politics,” “Candidate Behaviour,” and “Islamic Movement.” Studia Islamika is the leading journal in publication volume, while Civil Islam holds the highest citation count. The recurring emphasis on “civil society” and “civil Islam” underscores their pivotal role in advancing democracy in Indonesia, aligning with the objectives of SDG 16 (Peace, justice, and strong institutions).
