Indonesian Pesantren and Community Social Change: Moderate Islam’s Use of Media and Technology as Tools for Community Engagement

Abstract: This article explores the use of media and technology by Indonesian Islamic schools or pesantren in non-formal, community-based educational initiatives to bring about social change. Interviews with ten pesantren leaders were conducted in order to better understand their perceptions on how their schools have used media and technology in response to reports of pesantren involvement in terrorist activities. The findings suggest that while these leaders are conscious of the image linking pesantren with radical Islamic teachings, they have responded to these critiques through the adoption of technology as a tool for educating the broader local community.