Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Islamic Studies, ICIS 2020, 27-28 October 2020, Ponorogo, Indonesia

Research Article

The Strategies of Religious Leaders to Become Regional Heads in Indonesia

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/eai.27-10-2020.2304180,
        author={Sudarman  Sudarman and Mohammad  Hidayaturrahman and Ahmad Hasan Ubaid},
        title={The Strategies of Religious Leaders to Become  Regional Heads in Indonesia},
        proceedings={Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Islamic Studies, ICIS 2020, 27-28 October 2020, Ponorogo, Indonesia},
        publisher={EAI},
        proceedings_a={ICIS},
        year={2021},
        month={2},
        keywords={religious leaders; regional heads; politicization of religion; identity politics},
        doi={10.4108/eai.27-10-2020.2304180}
    }
    
  • Sudarman Sudarman
    Mohammad Hidayaturrahman
    Ahmad Hasan Ubaid
    Year: 2021
    The Strategies of Religious Leaders to Become Regional Heads in Indonesia
    ICIS
    EAI
    DOI: 10.4108/eai.27-10-2020.2304180
Sudarman Sudarman1,*, Mohammad Hidayaturrahman2, Ahmad Hasan Ubaid3
  • 1: Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang, Indonesia
  • 2: Universitas Wiraraja Madura, Indonesia
  • 3: Universitas Brawijaya Malang, Indonesia
*Contact email: sudarmanma@uinib.ac.id

Abstract

Religious leaders who took part in political contetstation are trapped in conditions of religious politicization and identity politics. But it also became a capital in gaining political support from their group. This study was conducted to analyze the strategies carried out by religious leaders to become candidates for regional heads which were then analyzed using motivation theory and rational choice theory. This study uses descriptive qualitative method with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews of various informants who directly interacted with religious leaders who ran for regional head. The data were collected by direct observation during the regional head election and when religious leaders are being regional heads. This study found that there are several strategies carried out by religious leaders to become regional heads in Indonesia such as by gaining support from businessmen who have money, joining the ruling party, switching to other party, making a coalition with party cadres that won the general election. Also, there are some who have a strategy of closing the opportunity of their rivals to compete in the election and became a single candidate or became a senior cadre in political parties.