Examining the Socio-Economic Role of Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren) in Indonesia

This thesis examines the role of Indonesian Islamic boarding schools’ (pesantren) engagement in the socio-economic issues of their communities. In undertaking such initiatives, pesantren are moving beyond their core business of Islamic education and propagation. This thesis shows that these pesantren have made significant contributions to the prosperity and welfare of their neighbouring communities. By discussing case studies of four pesantren, this thesis will analyse the ways pesantren have engaged with their communities. It will also examine local contexts and factors that have shaped the form of their engagement, further impact on their standing as educational and da’wah institutions, and their relationships with government and non-government organisations which offer support and partnership. This thesis also highlights why there are pesantren which have undertaken significant engagement activities with their neighbouring communities, while others have not. This study is placed within the growing scholarly interest in analysing Islamic organisations as non-state actors in the provision of welfare services and as development agencies at grass roots level in contemporary Indonesia. Despite differing forms of pesantren’s community engagement, I argue that propagating Islam through good deeds in the public interest is the driving force for their engagement. Furthermore, I argue that the more significant their engagement, the greater the religious authority they hold within their communities. As a result, their capacity as Islamising agents in the community is enhanced