This study explores community responses to the use of loudspeakers during the Dikili tradition in Tomulabutao, Gorontalo, Indonesia. Dikili, an overnight religious ritual, often features amplified chants and hymns as part of the local soundscape and cultural identity. While these sounds are familiar and accepted by indigenous Gorontalo residents, they have sparked varied responses from non-local newcomers living in mixed housing areas. Using a qualitative approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with residents to gain an understanding of their perceptions of religious sound in shared spaces. Findings reveal that while many non-Gorontalo residents gradually acclimate to the broadcasts, concerns persist regarding excessive volume. In response, mosque management implemented volume adjustments to strike a balance between cultural expression and residential comfort. The study emphasizes the importance of dialogue and negotiated practices in fostering social harmony within diverse, multicultural communities.
Indonesians have been known to be predominantly moderate Muslims to the present day. However, the developments show the rise of the Conservative and Radical Islam (CRI) movement that challenged moderate Islam’s dominance for the last two decades. Yet, there is a recent ideological shift among the groups towards a more inclusive standpoint. This research aims to provide a critical account of the ideological shift and religiopolitical behavior of CRI groups. This research employed a qualitative approach, in which the data were collected through a literature review and interviews with CRI figures. The study discovers that the sociohistorical origins, ideology, and religiopolitical behavior of CRI in Indonesia are rooted in the spread of Salafism and Wahhabism in the Middle East and East Africa. It also reveals that the rise of CRI movements in Indonesia is related to the development of political Islam since the rise of the reformasi era in 1998. Moreover, the study also finds that some CRI actors tend to lower their exclusive and radical approach to some extent as they tend to be more realistic toward current religious and political issues.
This article examines a customary society’s approach to environmental conservation, particularly the indigenous group in Cikondang village, Bandung Regency. This article employs a case study approach to understand their local wisdom toward nature. In addition, this study adopts a perennial philosophy perspective, which considers nature and humanity as integral parts of a divine macro and micro cosmos, necessitating mutual protection and harmony. The study reveals that the Cikondang people adhere to the philosophy of mipit kudu amit, ngala kudu bebeja (picking requires permission, taking must be declared), which underscores not only a prohibition against theft but also an ethical commitment to environmental sustainability. This principle is manifested in the strict protection of sacred areas such as huluwotan (spring sources) and prohibited forests, which are safeguarded against exploitation. The study shows the significance of indigenous beliefs and practices in promoting ecological balance, providing crucial insights for contemporary environmental management.
This article explores the relationship between social capital and interreligious practices in Indonesia. Most discussions of interreligious practices in Indonesia focus on how they directly contribute to discussions of tolerance and peace. Although this is not entirely wrong, the causal relationship between the two is not direct, but through a social process. Therefore, further analysis is needed, especially to unravel the social processes that cause interreligious practices to correlate with tolerance in peace. In interreligious practices, social capital has not yet been explored. This article focuses on finding answers to two main questions: first, what are the different forms of interreligious dialogue in Indonesia, and second, how can interreligious practices contribute to social capital formation in Indonesia. This study, conducted through a comprehensive literature review, shows that religious believers in Indonesia engage in several types of interreligious practices that actively shape their lives. The different practices, undertaken by various actors in all regions of Indonesia and pursued collectively, consistently, and simultaneously, foster bridging social capital that serves as a strong defense against religious conflicts in Indonesia, either by preventing them or reducing their impact.
The #ArewaMeToo movement in Nigeria is a social media-driven campaign against sexual harassment and gender-based violence. The movement has generated controversy and resistance, prompting a closer examination of its emergence, trajectory, impact, and implications. This study, therefore, examines the emergence and trajectory of the movement and how it has used social media platforms such as Twitter (X) and Facebook to raise awareness about sexual harassment and gender-based violence in northern Nigeria. The movement has attracted significant attention and support, particularly from women who identify themselves as survivors of sexual harassment and who seek to challenge dominant approaches to sexual assault and harassment in the region. Drawing on both secondary and primary sources, this qualitative study provides a comprehensive understanding of the #ArewaMeToo movement and its impact. This research finds the controversial factors that contributed to the Nigerian Sultanate Council’s decision to ban the movement, including the influence of Muslim intellectuals and social media influencers. It also reveals the historical context, key actors, and impact of the movement, as well as the effectiveness of online movements in driving social change.
