Building Trust and Social Solidarity in the Public Sphere in the Perspective of Indonesia

Abstract

This paper explores the history of civil society theory and its advancement in the context of social and mutual trust. Civil society as civic engagement opens rooms for criticizing political structure and bridging social groups. This article focuses on civic engagement ability to bonding a given community and bridging divers communities. Using an interdisciplinary perspective this article examines the development of civil society theory in the context of knowledge exposure. At the end part, this article explores two interreligious institutions in Indonesia to highlight the significance of civil society in the realm of interreligious relationship. As means of civil society association the institutions have bridged diverse communities in Indonesia and push Indonesia toward a more democratic state and peace nation