The Transformation of Kiai Authority in Divorce Mediation in Madurese Society: The Dialectic of Traditional Mediation and Positive Law
Keywords:
kiai authority, divorce mediation, Madurese society, positive law, legal pluralismAbstract
In Madurese society, the kiai (Islamic religious leader) has historically served as the primary mediator in marital disputes, wielding authority that often surpasses the practical reach of formal state institutions. However, the introduction of mandatory court-annexed mediation under Supreme Court Regulation (Peraturan Mahkamah Agung/PERMA) No. 1 of 2016 and the broader formalization of the Indonesian legal system have generated significant tensions between the traditional authority of the kiai and the requirements of positive law in divorce proceedings. This study investigates the transformation of the kiai's role in divorce mediation in Madurese society, analyzing how kiai authority and the formal state mediation framework interact, converge, and compete in the resolution of marital disputes. Employing ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and analysis of Religious Court records from Pamekasan and Sumenep, the study finds that kiai-mediated divorce resolution has not disappeared but has undergone significant transformation, operating in a complementary and sometimes competing relationship with court-annexed mediation. The findings suggest that harnessing kiai authority within a legally recognized pre-litigation mediation framework could significantly improve both the rate and the quality of marital dispute resolution in Madura.
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