Disability Representation in Indonesian Political Communication: Media Visibility, Electoral Participation, and Inclusive Democracy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/t1zb2k73Keywords:
Disability, political communication, electoral participation, representation, IndonesiaAbstract
Persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in political communication despite their status as citizens with equal democratic rights. Political campaigns and media coverage frequently frame disability through charity or vulnerability rather than political agency and citizenship. This article examines the representation of persons with disabilities in Indonesian electoral communication. Using qualitative media and discourse analysis, the study evaluates campaign materials, political news coverage, candidate communication, and social media narratives. The article argues that inadequate representation can contribute to political exclusion by limiting public understanding of persons with disabilities as political actors. The study proposes an inclusive political communication framework emphasizing accessibility, political agency, substantive representation, and participation in campaign production. Political communication should include accessible formats such as captions, sign-language interpretation, audio descriptions, and plain-language information. The article concludes that democratic inclusion requires not only formal voting rights but also meaningful visibility and participation in political communication. Improving disability representation can strengthen the inclusiveness of Indonesian electoral democracy.
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