Analysis Analysis of The Utilization of Religious Sentiments in Political Parties in The Pilkada Campaign in Sidoarjo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14421/jsa.2025.%25xKeywords:
Identity Politics; Political Campaign; Regional Election; Religious Sentiment; SidoarjoAbstract
This research analyzes the utilization of religious sentiment in the political campaign strategies of local political parties during the regional head elections (Pilkada) in Sidoarjo. The study employs a qualitative field research method through in-depth interviews, media content analysis, and observation. The purpose is to explore how religious symbols, narratives, and identity politics are mobilized to gain political legitimacy and mass support. In particular, the study focuses on how candidates strategically employ religious expressions, such as references to Islamic values, practices, and symbols, to resonate with voters, especially in a region where religion plays a significant role in social and cultural life. The results show that several political parties in Sidoarjo intentionally used religious issues, particularly those tied to Islamic values and institutions, as campaign tools. These strategies include invoking Islamic symbols, securing endorsements from religious leaders, and framing political discourse within religious narratives to appeal to religious sentiment. It has significant implications for the democratic process, raising concerns about the potential polarization of society and the manipulation of religious identity for political gain. Additionally, such practices may impact religious harmony in the region, as political parties exploit religious sentiments to consolidate their voter base. Theoretically, this study contributes to the discourse of political sociology and the sociology of religion by highlighting how religion is instrumentalized in contemporary electoral politics providing insights into the intersection of religion and political strategy in local governance.
References
Book:
Aspinall, Edward, dan Ward Berenschot. Democracy for Sale: Pemilu, Klientelisme, dan Negara di Indonesia. Yogyakarta: Marjin Kiri, 2019.
Berger, Peter L. The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion. New York: Anchor Books, 1990.
Berger, Peter L., dan Thomas Luckmann. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Penguin Books, 1991.
Casanova, José. Public Religions in the Modern World. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
Giddens, Anthony. Sociology. 7th ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2009.
Nurcholish, Achmad. Agama, Politik, dan Negara: Jalan Tengah Indonesia. Jakarta: Mizan Publika, 2021.
Prasetyo, Teguh. Politik Identitas dan Tantangan Demokrasi. Bandung: Pustaka Rakyat, 2020.
Rawls, John. Political Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.
Roy, Olivier. Holy Ignorance: When Religion and Culture Part Ways. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Journal Article:
Azizah, R. “Agama dan Media Sosial dalam Politik Lokal.” Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi 10, no. 1 (2022): 67–85.
Firdaus, Muhammad. “Politik Identitas dan Simbol Keagamaan dalam Pilkada: Studi Kasus di Jawa Tengah.” Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif 18, no. 2 (2024): 201–221.
Hefner, Robert W. “Religion and Citizenship in Indonesia.” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 50, no. 3 (2019): 389–409.
Hidayat, Ahmad. “Islamic Symbolism and Voter Preferences in East Java Pilkada.” Jurnal Politik Indonesia 9, no. 1 (2023): 33–49.
Latifah, Siti. “Peran Ulama dalam Politik Lokal: Studi Kritis Pemilu di Madura.” Al-Tahrir: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam 22, no. 1 (2022): 55–74.
Mietzner, Marcus. “Populism, Religion and Nation-Building in Indonesia.” Asian Studies Review 44, no. 2 (2020): 231–248.
Mudhofir, A. “Media Sosial, Simbol Religius, dan Mobilisasi Politik: Analisis pada Pemilu Daerah.” Jurnal Komunikasi Politik 5, no. 1 (2021): 12–30.
Ningsih, Laila. “Kiai, Pesantren, dan Mobilisasi Politik dalam Pilkada Jawa Timur.” Islamika Indonesiana 11, no. 2 (2022): 187–202.
Pabbajah, M. A., dan A. Rahman. “Digital Religion and Islamic Symbolism in Political Campaigns.” International Journal of Sociology of Religion 4, no. 1 (2023): 65–83.
Simandjuntak, Deasy. “Religious Populism and Electoral Politics in Java.” Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs 39, no. 1 (2020): 23–45.
Sukmono, Joko. “Strategi Politisasi Agama dalam Kampanye Digital.” Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Politik 8, no. 1 (2022): 90–106.
Susanto, A. “Pemaknaan Simbol Agama dalam Kampanye Politik.” Jurnal Al-Qudwah 17, no. 2 (2023): 112–128.
Yusanto, M. “Politik Identitas dalam Media Sosial pada Pilkada Serentak.” Jurnal Penelitian Komunikasi dan Media 5, no. 2 (2021): 135–152.
Zainuddin, R. “Narasi Keagamaan di Media Sosial dalam Pilkada.” Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi 9, no. 1 (2024): 41–58.
Report or Institution:
Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI). Laporan Survei Nasional Pilkada Jawa Timur 2023. Jakarta: LSI, 2023.
Wahid Foundation. Laporan Indeks Kota Toleran dan Polarisasi Sosial di Jawa Timur. Jakarta: Wahid Foundation, 2023.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rahma Safitriana Safitriana, Agus Machfud Fauzi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
