The expansion of military influence in Indonesia's governance: A corpus-assisted discourse analysis of media narratives

Abstract

The current discussions on the revision of the Indonesian Armed Forces Law ( RUU TNI / TNI Bill) are up to date and reveal changing scenarios for observing the military's influence over governance in Indonesia. In this regard, this article uses Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies (CADS) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing on 317 national news articles published from January to March 2025. By analyzing the legal text and the media discourse, the authors discover different narratives. The draft bill utilizes institutional and technocratic vocabulary that emphasizes the administration's continuity, while the media corpus spotlight deliberation, civic interests, and democratic accountability. The key terms dual function, civilian supremacy, and deployment of soldiers point to ideological positioning and power negotiations. This study focuses on how these linguistic constructions suggest that the discourse not only reflects institutional bargaining, but also shapes authority dynamics, influences public perception, and contributes to the evolving contours of civil–military relations. This study does not present any normative outcomes; instead, it stimulates a broader consideration of the role of language in governance within transitional democracies. It also offers comparative insights into civil–military discourse in post-authoritarian contexts.

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