MORAL REASONING AND DISCOURSE FRAGMENTATION IN YOUTUBE COMMENTS ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE CASES INVOLVING RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59408/jnk.v4i2.124Keywords:
Digital Public Sphere, moral reasoning, social network analysis, religious Authority, Youtube commentAbstract
This study examines moral reasoning and discourse fragmentation within the YouTube comment section of a viral video detailing a case of sexual violence involving a religious authority figure in Indonesia. Employing a Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis (MMSNA) approach, we analyzed 6,018 comments from 5,484 users to map the network structure, identify communicative communities, and assess emotional polarization via sentiment analysis. Findings reveal a highly fragmented and sparse network with low user interactivity, dominated by isolated, small-scale communities. Despite this structural fragmentation, sentiment analysis showed a predominance of neutral expressions (76.9%), with limited emotional polarization between the six main thematic communities identified. These communities function as distinct "affective micro-publics," articulating responses through specific discursive roles: moral-religious condemnation, emotional support, social reflection, fear of stigma, digital activism, and social ethics critique. The study concludes that the digital discourse operates not as a unified deliberative space but as a constellation of value-aligned clusters, where morality and empathy, rather than rational debate, mediate public participation. This underscores the role of platform architecture in fostering affective enclaves around sensitive socio-religious issues.
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