Focus and Scope
Focus
SASI is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by the Faculty of Law, Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia. The journal is dedicated to advancing scholarship on Customary Law, Indigenous Legal Systems, and Legal Pluralism, with particular emphasis on the continuing relevance and transformation of customary law within contemporary legal systems. By publishing high-quality legal research, SASI promotes a deeper understanding of how customary law shapes governance, dispute resolution, social order, environmental stewardship, and the protection of indigenous peoples in legally plural societies.
Recognizing that multiple legal systems frequently coexist and interact, SASI provides an international forum for scholarly dialogue on the relationship between customary law, state law, religious law, and other normative orders. The journal welcomes doctrinal, empirical, comparative, socio-legal, anthropological, and interdisciplinary research that critically examines the dynamic role of customary law across diverse legal, social, cultural, and political contexts.
Rooted in Indonesia's rich diversity of indigenous legal traditions while embracing comparative perspectives from around the world, SASI seeks to connect local legal experiences with global legal scholarship. The journal particularly encourages research that explains the broader significance of customary law beyond local contexts and contributes to international debates on Indigenous Legal Systems, Legal Pluralism, Living Law, Local Wisdom, sustainable development, and the protection of indigenous peoples' rights.
Scope
SASI welcomes original research articles, review articles, and conceptual papers in, but not limited to, the following areas:
1. Customary Law and Indigenous Legal Systems
Research examining the principles, recognition, revitalization, development, interpretation, and contemporary application of customary law and indigenous legal systems, including their contribution to legal certainty, social order, cultural identity, and community resilience.
2. Legal Pluralism and Normative Orders
Research exploring the interaction between customary law, state law, religious law, and other normative systems, including legal coexistence, harmonization, institutional development, legal transformation, and conflict resolution within legally plural societies.
3. Indigenous Peoples, Governance, and Justice
Research addressing indigenous peoples' rights, customary governance, community-based justice, customary dispute resolution, legal recognition of indigenous communities, access to justice, constitutional protection, and inclusive governance.
4. Natural Resources, Environment, and Sustainable Development
Research examining customary law in relation to land rights, agrarian law, natural resource governance, environmental protection, climate justice, indigenous knowledge, community-based resource management, and sustainable development.
5. Contemporary Applications of Customary Law
Research examining the relevance and application of customary law in contemporary legal issues, including private law, environmental governance, economic activities, digital transformation, dispute resolution, and other emerging legal challenges affecting indigenous peoples and local communities.
6. Comparative and Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Research employing comparative, empirical, socio-legal, anthropological, normative, and interdisciplinary approaches that advance international scholarship on customary law, indigenous legal systems, legal pluralism, living law, and local wisdom across different jurisdictions and legal traditions.
Editorial Statement
SASI welcomes contributions from scholars, researchers, legal practitioners, judges, policy-makers, and professionals worldwide whose work advances the understanding and development of Customary Law, Indigenous Legal Systems, and Legal Pluralism within contemporary legal systems.
Priority is given to manuscripts that demonstrate clear theoretical contribution, comparative analysis, empirical findings, socio-legal insight, or interdisciplinary perspectives capable of advancing international legal scholarship. Manuscripts should present arguments that are relevant to an international readership and clearly explain the broader significance of their findings beyond a single national or local legal context.
By promoting rigorous, comparative, and internationally relevant research, SASI aims to strengthen scholarly dialogue across jurisdictions, enrich the understanding of indigenous legal traditions, and contribute to the development of more inclusive, sustainable, and culturally responsive legal systems.
