Islamic Populism and Symbolic Convergence in the 2019 Presidential Election

Authors

  • Saepudin Muhtar State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1645-4849
  • Jajat Burhanuddin State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Ali Munhanif State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Gun Gun Heryanto State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15408/jii.v14i1.39926

Keywords:

Islamic Populism, Symbolic Convergence, 2019 Presidential Election

Abstract

This research reveals that both candidates in the 2019 Presidential Election engaged in Islamic populist movements in an attempt to garner sympathy and increase their respective electability. The symbolic convergence of Prabowo's campaign is evident in the institutional nature of the fantasy theme woven by his team, with actions that signify the fundamentalism of Prabowo's camp. In contrast, the fantasy theme constructed by Jokowi's team is notably moderate, as exemplified by the phrase "Jokowi Loves Santri," which gave rise to the narrative that Jokowi is a moderate figure. Consequently, a shared rhetorical vision was formed, positioning Jokowi as a moderate individual, with his disseminators acting more individually, unlike Prabowo's camp, which often coalitions with Islamic mass bases.

Author Biography

  • Saepudin Muhtar, State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

    In the research, the main argument is that the main candidates in the 2019 Presidential Election, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto, both used Islamic populism strategies to gain sympathy and increase their appeal to voters. The research analyzes how both candidates leverage symbolic convergence to form a shared rhetorical vision among their supporters, which ultimately is intended to influence the election outcome.

    Some specific arguments proposed in the research include:

    1. Prabowo Subianto proposes a fantasy theme that shows fundamentalism and often allies with Islamic mass bases to build a narrative that he is an Islamist figure.

    2. Jokowi, on the other hand, portrays himself as a moderate figure through the phrase "Jokowi Loves Santri" and by choosing Ma'ruf Amin, a prominent Muslim cleric, as his vice-presidential candidate, which is a strategy to respond to allegations that he is anti-Islam and to attract Muslim voters.

    3. The paper also shows how social media allows individuals not only to consume news but also to produce and disseminate ideas and support, thus shaping a shared rhetorical vision.

    4. This research uses intrinsic case study method to analyze the process of symbolic convergence through six hierarchies, including message structure, dynamic structure, communicator structure, media structure, and evaluative level.

    5. The findings show that Prabowo's style of symbolic convergence is more institutional and fundamentalist, while Jokowi's is more individualistic and moderate in approach.

    Overall, this research provides an in-depth analysis of how Islamic populism and symbolic convergence are used in political contestation and how this influences the 2019 presidential election in Indonesia.

References

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Published

2024-09-01

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2024)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Islamic Populism and Symbolic Convergence in the 2019 Presidential Election. (2024). JURNAL INDO-ISLAMIKA, 14(1), 126-135. https://doi.org/10.15408/jii.v14i1.39926