Negotiating halal: The role of non-religious concerns in shaping halal standards in Indonesia

• Published in: Journal of rural studies 2022-05, Vol.92, p.482-491
• Main Authors: Suryawan, Anom Sigit, Hisano, Shuji, Jongerden, Joost
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal husbandry; Backstage politics; Criteria; Diet; Economic conditions; Economic development; Food security; Halal food; Halal standards; Indonesia; International trade; Islam; Markets; Meat; Meat production; Poultry; Production; Slaughter; Standard-setting; Third-party certification
• ISSN: 0743-0167; 1873-1392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.09.013

Rapid growth in the global halal markets in recent years has invited scholars to pay close attention to the development of halal standards. However, the actual processes behind the formulation of the criteria specified in halal standards remain underexplored. This paper examines competing arguments and narratives behind the formulation of halal ruling on pre-slaughter stunning and mechanical slaughter in the new state-led halal standards in Indonesia. Drawing on the notion of ‘backstage politics,’ the results show that the criteria in halal standards are no longer determined exclusively by Islamic dietary laws that explain them. The inclusion of various actors in the formulation of halal standards has cleared the path for non-religious concerns, namely the meat production shortage and protections to the poultry sector, to embed and play an essential role in shaping the approval on pre-slaughter stunning and the ban on mechanical slaughter, respectively. As such, this paper argues that halal standards not only operate as a tool for economic development and facilitation of international trade but also serve as a safeguard to address food security issues and a mechanism to protect the national economy from the adverse consequences of the globalized markets. •Non-religious concerns play an important role in determining the formulation of criteria in halal standards.•Pre-slaughter stunning is approved to maintain beef and cattle imports from Australia to address the meat supply sortage.•Mechanical slaughter is prohibited to protect the poultry sector from imported chicken products, mainly from Brazil.•Halal standards serve as a safeguard to address food security issues and a mechanism to protect the national economy.•Non-religious considerations are embodied in halal standards through backstage politics where various actors participated.•Access to information about backstage politics in halal standards can be improved by means of “artifacts of accountability