Social Change as a Driver of Legal Reform in Indonesia through a Sociology of Law Perspective

Nazla Ceschia Revaandhini
Dinda Dinanti
Nazla Ceschia Revaandhini: Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta
Dinda Dinanti: Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta

Abstract

Social change is a continuous process of shifting structures and orders within society, one that often creates a gap between the law in force and the evolving needs of the community, as reflected in the recent amendments to the ITE Law and the Criminal Code. Although the relationship between law and social change is not a new subject, most prior studies tend to focus on a single legal product in isolation or on a single theoretical framework, so that few have mapped how various theoretical perspectives operate together to explain the dynamics of legal reform in Indonesia. This article aims to examine how social change occurs within society and how it acts as a driving factor for legal reform in Indonesia from a sociology of law perspective. The research applies a library research approach, drawing on books, scientific articles, and various printed and electronic documents as its main sources, which are then analyzed descriptively to explain the relationship between social change, society, and legal reform in Indonesia. The findings show that changes in values, norms, behavior, social structures, and technological advancement create a mismatch between the law in force and the needs of society, generating an urgent need for legal reform, as seen in the amendments to the ITE Law and the Criminal Code. Thus, it can be concluded that social transformation plays a key role in legal reform, ensuring that law remains relevant, flexible, and capable of meeting the ever-changing dynamics of Indonesian society.

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