The Identity Threat and Coping among the Followers of the Indigenous Javanese Religion
-
Muhammad Syafiq(1*)
Department of Psychology Universitas Negeri Surabaya
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5381-5412
-
Nadratul Zuniara Putri(2)
Department of Psychology Universitas Negeri Surabaya
(*) Corresponding Author
Keywords:
coping strategies; identity threats; indigenous Javanese religion; Muslim people
Abstract
The present study was aimed at exploring how the adherents of an indigenous Javanese religion, known as Javanism or Kejawen, maintain their identity in the hegemonic Muslim identity. This study employed a qualitative case study. The participants were the leader and key members of a Javanese religious group in Mojokerto District, East Java, Indonesia. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that most participants experience threats to their identity. They are perceived as being targeted and stigmatized since they are practicing mythic rituals and believing in superstition. They reported that they are labeled as obsolete, outdated, and even idolatrous. To cope with the identity threats, participants employ both intrapsychic and interpersonal strategies. The results indicate that the followers of the indigenous Javanese religion can efficaciously maintain their positive identity in response to the negative stigma imposed by the surrounding Muslim people.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Beatty, A. (1999). Varieties of Javanese Religion: An Anthropological Account. Cambridge University Press.
Boogert, J. V. D. (2017). The Role of Slametan in the Discourse of Javanese Islam. Indonesia and The Malay World, 45(133), 352-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639811.2017.1345166
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3, 77-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Breakwell, G. M. (1986). Coping with threatened identities. Methuen.
Breakwell, G. M. (2010). Resisting representation and identity process. Papers on Social Representations, 19, 6.1-6.11. https://psr.iscte-iul.pt/index.php/PSR/article/download/382/341
Brown, R. (2020), The social identity approach: Appraising the Tajfellian legacy. British Journal of Social Psychology, 59(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12349
Butt, S. (2020). Constitutional Recognition of “Beliefs” In Indonesia. Journal of Law and Religion, 35(3), 450-473. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2020.39
Carroll, L. (2013) Active Coping. In Gellman M. D., & Turner J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_1085
Cameron, J. E. (2004). A three-factor model of social identity. Self and Identity, 3(3), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500444000047
Ekopriyono, A. (2012). Jawa Menyiasati Globalisasi (Javanese responds to globalization). Program Pascasarjana Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana Press.
Ellemers, N., & Haslam, S. A. (2012). Social identity theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 379-398). Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n45
Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (2002). Self and Social Identity. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 161-186. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135228
Elliott, R., Fischer, C. T., & Rennie, D. L. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38(3), 215–229. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466599162782
Endraswara, S. (2004). Mistik Kejawen (Kejawen Mysticism). Narasi.
Geertz, C. (1960). The Religion of Java. The University of Chicago Press.
Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Culture. Basic Book.
Harsono, A. (2020, December 24th). Religious minorities in Indonesia face discrimination. https://www.newmandala.org/religious-minorities-in-indonesia-face-blasphemy-prosecutions-intimidation-denial-of-service/
Hilmy, M. (2018). Towards a Religiously Hybrid Identity? The Changing Face of Javanese Islam. Journal of Indonesian Islam, 12(1), 45-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.15642/JIIS.2018.12.1.45-68
Hogg M. A. (2016) Social Identity Theory. In S. McKeown, R. Haji, & N. Ferguson (eds). Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29869-6_1
Inglehart, R., & Baker, W. (2000). Modernization, Cultural Change, and the Persistence of Traditional Values. American Sociological Review, 65(1), 19-51. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657288
Jonas, E., Schimel, J., Greenberg, J., & Pyszczynski, T. (2002). The Scrooge Effect: Evidence that mortality salience increases prosocial attitudes and behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1342-1353. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F014616702236834
Kaul, V. (2012). Globalization and crisis of cultural identity. Journal of Research in International Business and Management, 2(13), 341-349. https://www.interesjournals.org/articles/globalisation-and-crisis-of-cultural-identity.pdf
Kinnvall, C. (2004). Globalization and religious nationalism: Self, identity, and the search for ontological security. Political Psychology, 25(5), 741-767. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2004.00396.x
Kortt, M. A., Dollery, B., & Grant, B. (2015). Religion and life satisfaction down under. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16, 277-293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9509-4
Leinbach, T. R., Legge, J. D., Adam, A. W., McDivitt, J. F., Mohamad, G. S., & Wolters, O. W. (2021, April 14). Indonesia. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Indonesia
Little, B. (2018) Passive Coping Strategies. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1867-1
Lubis, D. (2019). Religious Education for Aliran Kebatinan Community in Contemporary Indonesia. Journal of Social Studies Education Research 10(2): 270-289. https://jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/811/379
Major, B., & O’Brien, L. T. (2005). The social psychology of stigma. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 393-421. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070137
Mamahit F. Y. (2021). Abangan Muslims, Javanese Worldview, and Muslim–Christian Relations in Indonesia. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies, 38(1), 31-45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265378820965602
Marks, L. D., Dollahite, D. C., & Young, K. P. (2019). Struggles experienced by religious minority families in the United States. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 11(3), 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000214
Marshall, P. (2018) The Ambiguities of Religious Freedom in Indonesia. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 16(1), 85-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2018.1433588
Mulder, J. A. N. (1970). Aliran Kebatinan as an Expression of the Javanese Worldview. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 1(2), 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022463400020282
Nashir, H. & Jinan, M. (2018). Re-Islamisation: the conversion of subculture from Abangan into Santri in Surakarta. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 8(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v8i1.1-28
Nasir, M. A. (2019). Revisiting the Javanese Muslim Slametan: Islam, Local Tradition, Honor and Symbolic Communication. Al-Jami'ah: Journal of Islamic Studies, 57(2), 329-358. https://doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2019.572.329-358 .
Ricklefs, M. C. (2012). Islamisation and Its Opponents in Java: A Political, Social, Cultural and Religious History, c. 1930 to Present. NUS Press. 2012
Ricklefs, M. C. (2008). Religious reform and polarization in Java. ISIM Review, 21. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/17233/isim_21_religious_reform_and_polarization_in_java.pdf?sequence=1.
Ricklefs, M. C. (2006). Mystic Synthesis in Java: A History of Islamization from the Fourteenth to the Early Nineteenth Centuries. EastBridge.
Sairin, S. (2004). The Impact of Globalization on Indonesian Socio-Cultural Life. International Area Review, 7(1), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1177/223386590400700108
Simon, B. (2004). Identity in Modern Society: A Social Psychological Perspective. Blackwell.
Smith, R. (2020). Mysticism and Syncretism on the Island of Java. Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3348. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3348
Stange, P. (n.a). Modern Javanism: The Evolution of Sumarah. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/7290693/modern-javanism-the-evolution-of-sumarah-paul-stange
Sulistiyono, S., & Syato, I. (2016), Common identity framework of cultural knowledge and practices of Javanese Islam. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 6(2), 161-184. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v6i2.161-184
Suseno, F. M. (2001). Etika Jawa: Sebuah analisa falsafi tentang kebijaksanaan hidup Jawa. (Javanese Ethics: A philosophical Analysis of Javanese Wisdom). Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict. In S. Worchel, & W. G. Austin (Eds.), The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations (pp. 33-47). Brooks/Cole.
van Leeuwen, E., & Tauber, S. (2012). Outgroup helping as a tool to communicate in-group warmth. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 772−783. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0146167211436253
van Leeuwen, E. and Täuber, S. (2009). The Strategic Side of Out‐Group Helping. In S. Stürmer and M. Snyder (Eds.). The Psychology of Prosocial Behavior: Group Processes, Intergroup Relations, and Helping (pp. 81-99). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444307948.ch4
van Leeuwen, E. (2007). Restoring identity through outgroup helping: Beliefs about international aids in response to the December 2004 Tsunami. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37(4), 661−671. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.389
Vang, Z.M., Hou, F. & Elder, K. (2019). Perceived Religious Discrimination, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 1913-1932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0032-x
Varagur, K. (2018, April 5th). Indonesians Fight to Keep Mystical Religion of Java Alive. VOA East Asia Pacific. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia/indonesians-fight-keep-mystical-religion-java-alive
Yardley, L. (2000). Dilemmas in qualitative health research. Psychology & Health, 15(2), 215-228
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case Study Research Design and Methods (5th ed.). Sage.
Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2010). Religiosity as Identity: Toward an Understanding of Religion from a Social Identity Perspective. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(1), 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868309349693
Koentjaraningrat (1980). Javanese Terms for God and Supernatural Beings and the Idea of Power. In R. Schefold, J. W. Schoorl, & J. Tennekes (Eds.), Man, Meaning and History: Essays in Honour of H.G. Schulte Nordholt (pp. 127-139). Brill. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctvbqs5km.9
Boogert, J. V. D. (2017). The Role of Slametan in the Discourse of Javanese Islam. Indonesia and The Malay World, 45(133), 352-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639811.2017.1345166
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3, 77-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Breakwell, G. M. (1986). Coping with threatened identities. Methuen.
Breakwell, G. M. (2010). Resisting representation and identity process. Papers on Social Representations, 19, 6.1-6.11. https://psr.iscte-iul.pt/index.php/PSR/article/download/382/341
Brown, R. (2020), The social identity approach: Appraising the Tajfellian legacy. British Journal of Social Psychology, 59(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12349
Butt, S. (2020). Constitutional Recognition of “Beliefs” In Indonesia. Journal of Law and Religion, 35(3), 450-473. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2020.39
Carroll, L. (2013) Active Coping. In Gellman M. D., & Turner J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_1085
Cameron, J. E. (2004). A three-factor model of social identity. Self and Identity, 3(3), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500444000047
Ekopriyono, A. (2012). Jawa Menyiasati Globalisasi (Javanese responds to globalization). Program Pascasarjana Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana Press.
Ellemers, N., & Haslam, S. A. (2012). Social identity theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 379-398). Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n45
Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (2002). Self and Social Identity. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 161-186. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135228
Elliott, R., Fischer, C. T., & Rennie, D. L. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38(3), 215–229. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466599162782
Endraswara, S. (2004). Mistik Kejawen (Kejawen Mysticism). Narasi.
Geertz, C. (1960). The Religion of Java. The University of Chicago Press.
Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Culture. Basic Book.
Harsono, A. (2020, December 24th). Religious minorities in Indonesia face discrimination. https://www.newmandala.org/religious-minorities-in-indonesia-face-blasphemy-prosecutions-intimidation-denial-of-service/
Hilmy, M. (2018). Towards a Religiously Hybrid Identity? The Changing Face of Javanese Islam. Journal of Indonesian Islam, 12(1), 45-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.15642/JIIS.2018.12.1.45-68
Hogg M. A. (2016) Social Identity Theory. In S. McKeown, R. Haji, & N. Ferguson (eds). Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29869-6_1
Inglehart, R., & Baker, W. (2000). Modernization, Cultural Change, and the Persistence of Traditional Values. American Sociological Review, 65(1), 19-51. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657288
Jonas, E., Schimel, J., Greenberg, J., & Pyszczynski, T. (2002). The Scrooge Effect: Evidence that mortality salience increases prosocial attitudes and behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1342-1353. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F014616702236834
Kaul, V. (2012). Globalization and crisis of cultural identity. Journal of Research in International Business and Management, 2(13), 341-349. https://www.interesjournals.org/articles/globalisation-and-crisis-of-cultural-identity.pdf
Kinnvall, C. (2004). Globalization and religious nationalism: Self, identity, and the search for ontological security. Political Psychology, 25(5), 741-767. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2004.00396.x
Kortt, M. A., Dollery, B., & Grant, B. (2015). Religion and life satisfaction down under. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16, 277-293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9509-4
Leinbach, T. R., Legge, J. D., Adam, A. W., McDivitt, J. F., Mohamad, G. S., & Wolters, O. W. (2021, April 14). Indonesia. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Indonesia
Little, B. (2018) Passive Coping Strategies. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1867-1
Lubis, D. (2019). Religious Education for Aliran Kebatinan Community in Contemporary Indonesia. Journal of Social Studies Education Research 10(2): 270-289. https://jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/811/379
Major, B., & O’Brien, L. T. (2005). The social psychology of stigma. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 393-421. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070137
Mamahit F. Y. (2021). Abangan Muslims, Javanese Worldview, and Muslim–Christian Relations in Indonesia. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies, 38(1), 31-45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265378820965602
Marks, L. D., Dollahite, D. C., & Young, K. P. (2019). Struggles experienced by religious minority families in the United States. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 11(3), 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000214
Marshall, P. (2018) The Ambiguities of Religious Freedom in Indonesia. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 16(1), 85-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2018.1433588
Mulder, J. A. N. (1970). Aliran Kebatinan as an Expression of the Javanese Worldview. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 1(2), 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022463400020282
Nashir, H. & Jinan, M. (2018). Re-Islamisation: the conversion of subculture from Abangan into Santri in Surakarta. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 8(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v8i1.1-28
Nasir, M. A. (2019). Revisiting the Javanese Muslim Slametan: Islam, Local Tradition, Honor and Symbolic Communication. Al-Jami'ah: Journal of Islamic Studies, 57(2), 329-358. https://doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2019.572.329-358 .
Ricklefs, M. C. (2012). Islamisation and Its Opponents in Java: A Political, Social, Cultural and Religious History, c. 1930 to Present. NUS Press. 2012
Ricklefs, M. C. (2008). Religious reform and polarization in Java. ISIM Review, 21. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/17233/isim_21_religious_reform_and_polarization_in_java.pdf?sequence=1.
Ricklefs, M. C. (2006). Mystic Synthesis in Java: A History of Islamization from the Fourteenth to the Early Nineteenth Centuries. EastBridge.
Sairin, S. (2004). The Impact of Globalization on Indonesian Socio-Cultural Life. International Area Review, 7(1), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1177/223386590400700108
Simon, B. (2004). Identity in Modern Society: A Social Psychological Perspective. Blackwell.
Smith, R. (2020). Mysticism and Syncretism on the Island of Java. Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3348. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3348
Stange, P. (n.a). Modern Javanism: The Evolution of Sumarah. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/7290693/modern-javanism-the-evolution-of-sumarah-paul-stange
Sulistiyono, S., & Syato, I. (2016), Common identity framework of cultural knowledge and practices of Javanese Islam. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 6(2), 161-184. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v6i2.161-184
Suseno, F. M. (2001). Etika Jawa: Sebuah analisa falsafi tentang kebijaksanaan hidup Jawa. (Javanese Ethics: A philosophical Analysis of Javanese Wisdom). Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict. In S. Worchel, & W. G. Austin (Eds.), The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations (pp. 33-47). Brooks/Cole.
van Leeuwen, E., & Tauber, S. (2012). Outgroup helping as a tool to communicate in-group warmth. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 772−783. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0146167211436253
van Leeuwen, E. and Täuber, S. (2009). The Strategic Side of Out‐Group Helping. In S. Stürmer and M. Snyder (Eds.). The Psychology of Prosocial Behavior: Group Processes, Intergroup Relations, and Helping (pp. 81-99). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444307948.ch4
van Leeuwen, E. (2007). Restoring identity through outgroup helping: Beliefs about international aids in response to the December 2004 Tsunami. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37(4), 661−671. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.389
Vang, Z.M., Hou, F. & Elder, K. (2019). Perceived Religious Discrimination, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 1913-1932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0032-x
Varagur, K. (2018, April 5th). Indonesians Fight to Keep Mystical Religion of Java Alive. VOA East Asia Pacific. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia/indonesians-fight-keep-mystical-religion-java-alive
Yardley, L. (2000). Dilemmas in qualitative health research. Psychology & Health, 15(2), 215-228
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case Study Research Design and Methods (5th ed.). Sage.
Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2010). Religiosity as Identity: Toward an Understanding of Religion from a Social Identity Perspective. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(1), 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868309349693
Koentjaraningrat (1980). Javanese Terms for God and Supernatural Beings and the Idea of Power. In R. Schefold, J. W. Schoorl, & J. Tennekes (Eds.), Man, Meaning and History: Essays in Honour of H.G. Schulte Nordholt (pp. 127-139). Brill. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctvbqs5km.9
Published
2022-06-22
How to Cite
Syafiq, M., & Putri, N. (2022). The Identity Threat and Coping among the Followers of the Indigenous Javanese Religion. Journal of Health and Behavioral Science, 4(2), 308-331. https://doi.org/10.35508/jhbs.v4i2.5680
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2022 Muhammad Syafiq, Nadratul Zuniara Putri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Journal of Health and Behavioral Science (JHBS) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. You are free to copy, transform, or redistribute articles for any lawful purpose in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and JHBS, link to the license, indicate if changes were made, and redistribute any derivative work under the same license. Copyright on articles is held by the authors. By submitting to JHBS, authors grant any third party the right to use their article to the extent provided by the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
