Political Communication Of Balinese Hindu Women In The Domestic Realm: Cultural, Religious, And Customary Perspectives

Abstract

This research seeks to investigate Balinese Hindu women’s political communication as a form of resistance to the patriarchal culture of Bali and their changing socio-cultural, religious, and political positioning. The study follows qualitative approaches using literature reviews as research methodological steps. The analysis draws on narrative communication, existence, and feminist theories. The research highlights the use of political communication by Balinese Hindu women as a form of resistance to the patriarchal political order. The women’s engagement in politics and the clash of cultural patriarchy in the politics of and their sacred esteemed place in Balinese Hindu culture is a phenomenon. A limitation of the study is the reliance on secondary literature, which for political communication research, exclude the most recent empirical realities and the voices of the women. The study adds to the political communication and gender studies scholarship, particularly for policymakers, in the context of women’s development and empowerment initiatives within Bali's distinct socio-cultural context. The study’s contribution lies in the balance of sacred culture, religion, and political activism framed as political communication and resistance by Balinese Hindu women.