THE ROLE OF SOCIAL TOLERANCE, SOCIAL COHESION, AND LOCAL WISDOM IN PREVENTING CONFLICT BY STRENGTHENING THE MODERATING ROLE OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP CAPACITY

Social conflict at the community level remains a serious problem in Indonesia, particularly in areas experiencing social heterogeneity and economic pressure. The urgency of this research arises from the increasing frequency of horizontal conflicts that cannot be fully explained through the government's structural approach, so that a deeper understanding of the role of community social and cultural values in preventing conflict is needed. This study offers novelty by integrating three social and cultural capital variables of social tolerance, social cohesion, and local wisdom into a single analytical model moderated by local leadership capacity, something that has rarely been tested empirically in the context of Indonesian communities. Using a quantitative method based on SEM PLS, this study examines data from communities that have the potential to experience social conflict. The results of the study indicate that social tolerance, social cohesion, and local wisdom do not have a significant direct influence on social conflict prevention. However, local leadership capacity was shown to act as a moderating variable that strengthens the influence of social tolerance on social conflict prevention. Conversely, local leadership moderation did not occur in the relationship between social cohesion and local wisdom on conflict prevention. This novel finding confirms that social and cultural capital do not automatically function as conflict prevention instruments without the active involvement of local leaders who are able to manage social dynamics adaptively. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of investing in strengthening local leadership capacity and revitalizing social and cultural values as communitybased strategies for sustainable conflict prevention.