Dissertation Research: Modernity, Islam and Tradition in Indonesia

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This project involves the dissertation research of a cultural anthropology student from Harvard University. The project is to study how an Islamic society in Indonesia interprets outside influences for the local community members in general, and how local Islamic identity is formed in light of local commitments towards both modernization and tradition. Using ethnographic techniques of participant observation, a survey of 100 households in each community, and videotaping of ceremonies and social occasions that will then be used to question people about meanings, the student will study two local communities and three activities: a religious festival, a religious drama, wedding ceremonies. The specific hypothesis to be tested is that attitudes of local Islamic leadership towards modernity, local ethnic traditions, and religious piety will exert a powerful influence on local responses to national-level pressures to blend with a national identity. This project will contribute to advancing knowledge concerning ethnicity and will offer insights into how local practices are shaped by religious institutions and how this is related to perceptions of ethnic identity. The project will advance our understanding of how Islam factors into the everyday practices of Indonesians, and contribute to the nation's expertise about this important area of South Asia.