Does Enhanced Self-Disclosure Really Reduce Social-Religious Ostracism? Evidence From The An Nadzir Congregation

Until now, for most minority Islamic groups, building coexistence relations with mainstream Islamic groups and the state has not been easy. However, such relations remain possible, as demoNadzired by the An Nadzir congregation. This research investigates the significance of self-disclosure in relation to religious social recognition. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were collected through observations and in-depth interviews with the congregation’s leader and three other informants, then analyzed through data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. This study shows that self-disclosure has become cultural capital for An Nadzir in building its coexistence relations with the mainstream Muslim group and the state, which has led to their gaining religious social recognition to date. It asserts that social ostracism occurs not only because of differences from the majority and the state but also because of self-closure. It contributes to the debate on social recognition between minority Islamic groups and the majority by demonstrating that the negotiation agenda relies not only on macro and meso approaches but also on micro. It is limited to the male perspective of An Nadzir, but necessarily includes the female perspective to avoid gender bias in the negotiation agenda.