On August 11, 2023, the Center for Legal Pluralism Studies (CLep) at the Faculty of Law, Airlangga University, held a seminar titled “Law and Social Justice.” The seminar was conducted in a hybrid format and featured Herlambang P. Wiratraman, Head of the Center for the Study of Law and Social Justice (LSJ) at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University, as the sole speaker. During the seminar, Herlambang P. Wiratraman discussed law and social justice in relation to theoretical explorations and their relevance to the development of critical thinking, particularly in the context of legal education. Herlambang explained the history, context, and dynamics of the concept by referring to a number of scholarly studies and books—including Hatta’s writings—on social justice and prosperity. He explained that people-centered economic democracy, which aims to create social justice, is positioned as a matter of state politics. This is evident in social justice as a national ideal for achieving equitable prosperity, as stipulated in the 1945 Constitution, Article 27, paragraph (2), and Article 33. According to him, our country is not merely a state governed by law, but a social state. The seminar offered a broader perspective on the concepts of law and social justice, particularly in relation to issues of inequality and injustice in a number of structural cases. In his presentation, Herlambang highlighted several compelling and high-impact legal cases in Indonesia, such as the cement mining case in the ancient Kendeng karst mountains, the Wadas case, and Budi Pego’s case against the Tumpang Pitu gold mine. Such cases serve as crucial learning points that must be understood by those studying Indonesian law. A strong concept of social justice arises from the perspective of the citizens themselves and holds social significance within their communities. It is hoped that following the seminar, legal studies and social justice will advance and contribute to addressing the gap between the current legal reality and the foundations of social justice.
Below is a link to a short video clip featuring the voices of the Kendeng farmers, which was highlighted in the introduction to the discussion at CLEP, Faculty of Law, UNAIR. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cvha4lFLCXR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
