Education and Local Elite Authority: The Study of Traditional Local Elite Strategies in Maintaining Authority of Muslim Communities in Rural Java

Tadjoer Ridjal ,Julian Adam Ridja ,Suko Susilo ,Humaidah Muafiqie ,Effy Indriati

doi:10.7176/jep/12-2-09

Abstract

The studies at village communities generally relate to poverty issues, circulation of village elites, formal village leadership and village community participation. Other studies discuss the determination of cultural values on agrarian differentiation, farmer resistance, and state interference in rural economy. This study relates with rural local elites, especially socio-religious field. The study focus is how the religious elites in villages maintain their authority. This study uses a qualitative approach. The study results show that although the village religious elite and their group members are no longer dominate the rural economy and control the formal village leadership, but this group still occupies a high level in society. One element dominated by group members from religious elite is education, especially religious knowledge. Keywords: Education, Authority, Village Local Elites. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-2-09 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Highlights

Previous rural studies, especially Java rural, usually more focused on life of rural communities based on problem of poverty
The emphasis on issue of cultural value determination on agrarian differentiation was done by Rahman (1995), Annisa, et al (2009), farmer resistance by Suliadi (2015) and Putri (2017), and farmer resistance related to state interference in rural economy by Bertrand (1995) and Siahaan (1996), This study focuses on local elites in rural areas
This study focus is the strategies undertaken by religious elites to build authority, especially to control the cultural life of their people

Summary

Introduction

Especially Java rural, usually more focused on life of rural communities based on problem of poverty. The village community at study location in the period was developed into three identity groups, namely Wong njero, wong njaba and wong mambu-mambu (Ridjal, 2004-a; 2019). Ridjal (2004-a) stated that Wong njero is a symbol of identity for members of kyai family, wong njaba is a symbol of identity to describes members of society who are politically and socially at lower strata, and most of village government officials generally come from circles symbolized as wong mambu-mambu. Members of Wong njero family no longer controlled the formal village leadership or village head.

Results

Conclusion