Research & Publications

The Hijrah Movement in Greater Bandung represents a dynamic form of digitally mediated Islamic activism, where WhatsApp Groups (WAGs) play pivotal roles in dawah engagement. However, research on how digital platforms shape religious identity, trust formation, and communal accountability in online Islamic communities remains limited. This study examined how the hyper-personal model can explain the role of WAGs in fostering relational intimacy and sustaining collective identity within a movement. Using a qualitative virtual ethnography approach, including in-depth interviews and content analysis of WAG Kopdar Masjid BDG Raya, this research investigates the mechanisms through which asynchronous communication, selective self-presentation, and feedback loops influence community engagement. Findings reveal that WAGs enhance perceived trust and belonging by enabling curated self-disclosure, reinforcing positive group norms, and facilitating collaborative decision-making. These digital interactions strengthen spiritual bonds and extend to offline initiatives such as charity programs and Dawah safaris, bridging digital and traditional religious mobilisation. The study advances the hyper-personal model by demonstrating its applicability to digitally mediated Islamic activism. It offers empirical evidence that digital platforms reshape authority structures, spiritual discourse, and social cohesion in contemporary Islamic communities. It also highlighted the potential risks of misinformation, echo chambers, and platform dependency. This research mainly contributes to Islamic studies, digital communication, and social movements, providing insights into the complex interplay between online and offline religious engagement.

This article explores the digital religious engagement among Indonesian Muslim digital natives during the global covid -19 pandemic. The study employed a mixed methods approach, utilizing an explanatory sequential design with 350 participants. This study shows that the social distancing strategy during the pandemic has accelerated digital religious engagement and led to the emergence of mediatized religious practices through the following features: (1) higher participation in attending virtual religious events; (2) the increasing participation in communal prayer (duas) held virtually; (3) the increasing use of smartphone-based Islamic apps to connect with religious texts and discourses; and (4) the increasing internet and social media utilization as a medium for acquiring Islamic knowledge. These digital religious practices have increasingly become a norm, especially for Indonesian Muslim digital natives, shown by changes in religious practice and the growing use of the internet for religious practices as a specific feature of a mediatized religion.

This study focuses on the identity construction of Auliya Fadlilah as a Muslimah-preneur on Instagram, the mediatization of religion in her content, and the commodification of religion for marketing purposes. The study aims to explore the virtual identity construction process and identify commodification practices resulting from the mediatization of religion on Instagram. A qualitative method was employed, using Michel Foucault’s technologies of the self framework, which explains how individuals transform themselves to achieve their desired perfection. The findings reveal that the construction of a Muslimah-preneur’s virtual identity, the mediatization of religion, and the commodification of religion are interrelated and mutually reinforcing on social media. Auliya Fadlilah utilizes Instagram to shape her identity as a successful and religious Muslimah-preneur. Through posts and captions that highlight Islamic values, personal stories, and business achievements, Auliya constructs an inspiring and trustworthy self-image for her followers. The use of religious language and symbols strengthens this identity and fosters emotional connections with her audience. Mediatization of religion occurs as Auliya employs Instagram to disseminate Islamic teachings and values, making them more accessible to a wider audience. The commodification of religion emerges as a consequence of this mediatization, where religious elements such as halal products and endorsements aligned with Islamic values are commercialized to generate financial profit. The simultaneous interplay of virtual identity construction, mediatization, and commodification of religion creates a demand for products and services aligned with Islamic values.

This article endeavors to delve into the realm of promoting services connected to Islam within the expansive domain of the Go-jek application. This particular aspect can be perceived as a form of religious commodification. Employing the discourse analysis, the exploration focuses on the episodes of “e-Badah,” which aim to aid in the seamless execution of Islamic practices. Extensive data was gathered from numerous instances, paying close attention to the taglines and jargon conveyed within these advertisements. The findings indicate that the commodification of religion within Go-jek’s eBadah episodes is evident in the utilization of visual and textual tools that encourage the audience to partake in the various socially nuanced religious practices facilitated by the Go-jek app. This phenomenon underscores the interplay between the commodification of religion in advertising and the practice of mediatization of religion, which is intrinsically linked to the pervasive nature of media platforms. In the case of eBadah, Go-jek’s app depicts mediated religious practices and highlights how media acts as a facilitator for such practices.

This paper investigates the practice of texting condolences on WhatsApp as a mediatized mourning practice in contemporary Indonesia. Data were obtained through participatory observation and two-stage interviews, which in the first stage involved 130 participants, while the second stage was conducted with 10 participants who were chosen purposively. The study shows that mourning practices on WhatsApp have shifted from mediation as a communication practice to mediatization as a cultural practice with several features. First, WhatsApp has enabled users to express condolences through the use of WhatsApp features. Second, although it is generally believed that WhatsApp could facilitate co-present interaction for mourning, some participants believe that attending the funeral in person is more meaningful. Third, the norms of traditional mourning practices remain relevant in the setting of virtualized mourning in WhatsApp which is shown by the use of WhatsApp features and the transformation of expressions, attitudes, or behaviors in an online context.