SALAFISM IN RURAL JAVA: THE STRUGGLES OF INDONESIAN ISLAM SINCE THE FALL OF THE NEW ORDER

This study elucidates the factors that have driven the
emergence of Salafism in rural Java, including the individual actors, the global Salafi movement, and the connections established amongst Islamic organizations since the fall of the New Order. This study emphasizes that the Salafi movement has not been purely religious in rural Java, but rather served to provide members with economic and political salvation. Diverse economic and political contestations have occurred within the Salafi movement as actors within the movement have established connections with individuals who share their vision and political ideology. This article concludes that the Salafi movement may be considered a form of political Islam, wherein individuals contest public spaces through public piety, economic activities, and political approaches. Data for this study were collected through field research, interviews with
informants, and a review of the literature. A political sociology approach was used to analyze the connections between village actors, the spread of Salafism, and the political and economic