MODERNISASI, IDENTITAS LOKAL, DAN TANTANGAN INTEGRASI NASIONAL DI ABAD KE-21

Abstract

This article examines the dynamics of national integration in Indonesia within the context of rapid and complex modernization. Modernization has brought significant changes to social structures, ways of thinking, and cultural orientations, which in turn affect the shifting of local identities and the intensification of social fragmentation. Local identities that once functioned as social glue now face challenges due to the penetration of global values, cultural homogenization, and the weakening of traditional bonds. Furthermore, the development of information technology and social media has accelerated the emergence of polarization, segmented interaction spaces, and intergroup competition, thereby hindering the process of national integration. This article explores how modernization triggers the transformation of identity and affects social cohesion, as well as how these conditions shape the stability of national integration. It also proposes strategies to strengthen national integration through the preservation of local identity and the enhancement of digital literacy. The preservation of local identity is achieved through cultural education, the revitalization of traditions, and the digitalization of cultural heritage, while digital literacy is essential for fostering an inclusive and responsible digital public sphere free from misinformation. The findings indicate that national integration can be reinforced when society is able to balance the continuity of local identity with the demands of modernization. Thus, local identity and digital literacy serve as two strategic pillars in building a resilient, adaptive, and sustainable national integration within the context of globalization.