Authority of Religious Leaders And Formation of Political Opinion in Bakalan Village
Authors
-
Elsa Tri Aisiyah
State University of Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
Author
-
Agus Machfud Fauzi Fauzi
State University of Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
Author
Keywords:
Moral Authority, Religious Figures, Political Opinion, Rural CommunitiesAbstract
This article examines the role of the moral authority of religious figures in shaping the political opinions of rural communities. Based on the assumption that village politics tends to occur in a harmonious atmosphere with minimal open conflict, this study explores how moral legitimacy influences residents' political orientations. The research employed a qualitative approach with a case study design through social observation, cross-generational interviews, and reflection on local political dynamics. The analysis is based on Max Weber's theory of authority and legitimacy to understand how the influence of religious figures operates without direct coercion. The study's findings indicate that this influence is formed through collective trust and a culture of social harmony that limits the expression of differences in the public sphere. The younger generation tends to be more independent in accessing political information, while remaining within the framework of village social norms. Democracy operates procedurally, while deliberative space remains limited.
Downloads
References
Ahdarrijal, Y., & Rahmawati, D. E. (2024). The Role of Digital Media in Determining the Direction of Indonesia’s Democracy in 2023. The Journal of Society and Media, 8(1), 144–164. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v8n1.p144-164
Alquezar-Yus, M. (2022). The Reversal of the Mission: The Influence of Religious Leaders on Sociopolitical Attitudes. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4248957
Amrillah, R. & Novi Fitia Maliha. (2025). Social Construction of Sedarum Village Community on Money Politics in Village Head Elections. Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law, 1(3), 170–181. https://doi.org/10.64595/jrlpl.275
Azhar, A. A., Santoso, P., & Muhammad, Q. (2025). Faith-Based Political Communication in Mandailing Natal’s Regional Elections. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 1291–1316. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.1799
Blair, G., Littman, R., Nugent, E. R., Wolfe, R., Bukar, M., Crisman, B., Etim, A., Hazlett, C., & Kim, J. (2021). Trusted authorities can change minds and shift norms during conflict. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(42), e2105570118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105570118
Brako, I. (2025). Public Scrutiny and Moral Governance: The Power of Moral Values in Shaping Political Accountability in Ghana. African Journal of Culture, History, Religion and Traditions, 8(2), 23. https://doi.org/10.52589/AJCHRT-OTAQ4SG2
Brutu, S., Sianturi, B. G. D., Andini, P., & Ivanna, J. (2024). Perilaku Politik Masyarakat Suku Jawa dalam Pemilihan Kepala Desa (Studi Kasus Desa Bandar Klippa Kecamatan Percut Sei Tuan). Journal on Education, 6(4), 21492–21501. https://doi.org/10.31004/joe.v6i4.6132
Christian, N. I., & Laksmana, J. E. (2025). The Influence of Money Politics on the Political Choices of the Buduran District Community in the East Java Gubernatorial Election. Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law, 1(4), 225–235. https://doi.org/10.64595/jrlpl.v1n4.p225-234
Chun Tie, Y., Birks, M., & Francis, K. (2019). Grounded theory research: A design framework for novice researchers. SAGE Open Medicine, 7, 2050312118822927. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118822927
Deliyati, A., Maemunah, M., & Isnaini, I. (2025). Social Interaction and Religious Tolerance in Education: A Case Study of Islamic and Buddhist Communities in Gondang Village, North Lombok. Paedagogie: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Studi Islam, 6(01), 19–34. https://doi.org/10.52593/pdg.06.1.02
Fauzi, A. M., Mudzakir, M., & Abdulrahim, M. O. (2019). Social Conflict In Contestation Of Indonesia Election. The Journal of Society and Media, 3(2), 159. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v3n2.p159-177
Forbes, M. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Evaluation Journal of Australasia, 22(2), 132–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X211058251
Haliza Rizqica Fadillah, Juliansyah Aditya Rahadian, Moch. Faisal Rais, & Milana Sapta Dewi. (2024). Transformasi Peran Kiai dalam Politik Indonesia dari Otoritas Keagamaan ke Ranah Politik Praktis. Politika Progresif : Jurnal Hukum, Politik Dan Humaniora, 1(4), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.62383/progres.v1i4.1047
Haryanto, Irwan, A. I. U., & Amaliah, Y. (2024). Elections, governance, and polarization in Indonesian villages. Asian Journal of Political Science, 32(2), 175–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/02185377.2024.2351400
Hervouet, R. (2021). The Moral Economy of the Kolkhoz Worker, Or Why the Protest Movement in Belarus Does Not Seem to Concern the Collectivized Countryside. Slavic Review, 80(1), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1017/slr.2021.23
Hoffmann, D. (2025). The socialization relevance of digital media practices in adolescence in times of polycrisis. Zeitschrift Für Bildungsforschung, 15(1), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s35834-024-00456-3
Huda, Moh., & Nur, I. (2021). Islam, Culture, and Social Media: A Study on the Culture of the Social Media Usage in the Covid-19 Pandemic Era. The Journal of Society and Media, 5(2), 347–361. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v5n2.p347-361
Khotimah, K. (2025). The Role of Religious Leaders in Social Development and Interreligious Harmony: A Historical-Sociological Study of Islamic Leaders in the 21st Century. Jurnal Indonesia Studi Moderasi Beragama, 2(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.64420/jismb.v2i1.203
Kökerer, C. M. (2025). Max Weber and Carl Schmitt on Legitimate Domination: Belief in Legitimacy or Acknowledgement of Legitimacy? Critical Sociology, 51(6), 1209–1224. https://doi.org/10.1177/08969205241276797
Li, R. (2024). When democratic deliberation encounters Confucian moral governance: Rethinking consultative politics in rural China. Economic and Political Studies, 12(3), 267–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/20954816.2023.2287258
Muhammad Saleh, Wahyudi, G. S. W., & Rohimi. (2023). The In-Group Versus The Out-Group: The Impact Of Village Politics On Community Social Conditions. TASAMUH, 21(1), 101–132. https://doi.org/10.20414/tasamuh.v21i1.7247
Prasitiya, A., Darmawan, C., & Assoburu, S. (2024). Peran Tokoh Agama Dalam Meningkatkan Kerukunan Umat Beragama di Desa Metro Rejo Kecamatan Buay Madang Timur Kabupaten Oku Timur. Pubmedia Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(3), 16. https://doi.org/10.47134/pssh.v1i3.180
Rahmania, N. A., & Raharjo, G. R. A. L. (2025). Interfaith Relation During Galungan Festival in Pengulon Village, Bali, Indonesia. Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law, 1(1), 54–61. https://doi.org/10.64595/jrlpl.67
Rahmawati, M., & Ikramatoun, S. (2025). Charisma, Tradition, and Rationality: The Authority of Teungku in Maintaining Social Order. BELIEF: Sociology of Religion Journal, 3(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.30983/belief.v3i1.9526
Rashid, Y., Rashid, A., Warraich, M. A., Sabir, S. S., & Waseem, A. (2019). Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Researchers. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18, 1609406919862424. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919862424
Rofhani, R., & ’Alaniah, A. S. (2023). Pendomestikasian Perempuan dalam Narasi Antifeminisme Kanal YouTube Muslimah Media Center: Analisis Kritis Perspektif Fatima Mernissi. The Journal of Society and Media, 7(2), 546–566. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v7n2.p546-566
Rusmana, D., Rosidin, D. N., Saefullah, A., Burhanudin, D., & Bin Zainuddin, G. (2024). Strengthening Moral Education Values: Sociological Analysis of the Mbah Sholeh Haolan at Pesantren Benda Kerep, Cirebon. Ulumuna, 28(1), 424–452. https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v28i1.1050
Saputra, Y., Asniah, A., & Sefriyono, S. (2024). The Role of Religious Leaders in Resolving Conflict and Political Violence in Pilrio in Air Gemuruh Village, Jambi Province. Refleksi: Jurnal Kajian Agama Dan Filsafat, 23(2), 281–300. https://doi.org/10.15408/ref.v23i2.40703
Turale, S. (2024). Writing a Rigorous Qualitative Journal Article: Tips for Authors. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 29(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.60099/prijnr.2025.270351
Warsono, W., & Muhtadi2022, M. (2022). Religion: Functional and Dysfunctional, From Daily Life To Become Media Coverage. The Journal of Society and Media, 6(1), 257–271. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v6n1.p257-271
