Mediatization of Religion: How the Indonesian Muslim Diasporas Mediatized Islamic Practices

Abstract

This study explores the process of mediatization of religion in the context of how Indonesian Muslim diasporas in the United States are using media to mediatize Islamic practices. Using ethnographic observation of the Indonesian Muslim Society in America (IMSA) and their media activities, this study found Islamic practices are mediatized to deal with several issues that are faced by this minority group. IMSA's media-related activities, such as Radio IMSA and Tele-Halaqa, have helped this diasporic community to practice Islamic rituals as well as to find Islamic resources, especially since their religious authorities may not always be physically available. These research findings may challenge the common assumption of the mediatization of religion theory, which argues that the media could encourage secularization. For Indonesian Muslim diasporas, dependency upon media for religious practices does not make this community more secular, but makes them more religious.