Multicultural Education in Indonesia: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

This study investigates how multicultural education has been conceptualized and developed in Indonesia by integrating a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. Based on 46 Scopus-indexed articles published through November 2025, the study adheres to the PRISMA Statement guidelines. It uses VOSviewer mapping to examine conceptual patterns, institutional structures, and thematic clusters within the field. The findings reveal that multicultural education in Indonesia operates through a distinct relational configuration that integrates pedagogical practices, religious moderation, and local cultural values. Different from dominant Western frameworks that emphasize race, migration, and structural inequality, existing research in Indonesia conceptualizes Multicultural education within a pluralistic social context rooted in religious values. Bibliometric evidence indicates a strong concentration of research within state universities and Islamic higher education institutions, with central conceptual linkages to Islamic education, curriculum development, and discourse on moderation. Although pedagogical implementation and value formation are extensively addressed, macro-level analyses of social cohesion remain comparatively underexplored. The study advances the field by articulating a relational, multi-level conceptual model that differentiates pedagogical processes, ideological orientations, and sociological outcomes within culturally specific settings. By repositioning Indonesia within global debates on multicultural education, this research contributes to enhancing a context-sensitive perspective on diversity education in plural societies.