Page 325 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

Islamic Movements
on Campus
Muhammad Wildan
Three crucial periods can be identified
in the history of the youth movements.
First, the establishment of Islamic study
groups among the young educated
people, such as Jong Islamieten Bond
(JIB) and Studenten Islam Studiesclub
(SIS). Second, the independent period
when student movements emergedin
nationalist and Islamic spirit, the
Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (the
Islamic Students Association, HMI);
Pergerakan Mahasiswa Islam Indonesia
(theIndonesian Islamic Students
Movement, PMII); and Ikatan Mahasiswa
Muhammadiyah (the Muhammadiyah
Students Bond, IMM) ---the latter two
are student organizations under the
NU and Muhammadiyah organizations
respectively. Finally, the 1980s period
up to the present time whenstudent
movementshave developed into a
high spirit of Islamism in the period
establishment of Lembaga Dakwah
Kampus (the Campus Propagation
Agency, LDK)and Kesatuan Aksi
Mahasiswa Muslim Indonesia (the
Indonesian Muslim-Students’ Actions
Union, KAMMI).
Islamic Student
Movements:Some Explanatory
Perspectives
Islamic movements (including campus
316 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives
Islamic movements) emerged as
response to social realities. Islamic
movementson campus wasa response
to currents socio-religious and political
situation. Socio-religious and political
changes, require the involvement of
groups of people who want to participate
into the process of change.
Herbert Blummer defines social
movements as collective efforts to create
1
new rules of life within the community.
As a social movement, campus Islamic
movement aims at changing social order.
The Campus Islamic movement can be
seen from several perspectives. The
relative deprivation theory views social
movements emerging from a group of
people who are not satisfied with the
ongoing social changes or because of
their marginalized positions in politics or
economy. Briefly, the relative deprivation
theory explains that social deprivation
is formed when there is a difference
between expectations and realities. This
relative deprivation, when collectively
formed, potentially becomes a social
movement. 2
Another theory that may help to uncover
the dynamics of campus Islamic
movements is the rational choice theory.
Developed by James S. Coleman, the
rational choice theory bears principles of
people’s involvement in an organization. aspirations. 4 Campus dakwah
One’s action leads to a specific purpose Islam an identity to show along with activities in Salman
and that purpose is determined by the emergence of other ideological Mosque at the Bandung
values or preferences. Followers of an identities. The founding of Himpunan Institute of Technology
organization rationally understand the Mahasiswa Islam (HMI) and Pergerakan Source: Documentation
goals of social movements and how to Salman Mosque ITB
achieve their goals. A social movement Mahasiswa Islam Indonesia (PMII),
can be distinguished by its primordial several years after Indonesia’s
structure or its particular purpose. In independence, was stimulated by the
3
this theory the dynamics of a religious desire of Muslim students to be involved
social movement could be exposed, not in shaping the characters and mentality
only how campus Islamic movement has of the Indonesian Muslim students. In
emerged but also how it successfully contemporary era, the ideological factor
triggers masses to reach the goal. is so intense to strive for the emergence
There were several factors that led to of Islamic movements such as LDK and
foundation of Islamic student movement. KAMMI. The rise of campus Islamic
First,ideology is a very significant factor movements can be referred also as a
in shaping personalities and mass “protest movement” against the existing
mobilization. In many universities, Islamic movements within campuses
especially public universities, Islamic perceived to bring into a different
movement is a way to show students’ direction and ideology as well.
Islamic identities. Many Islamic students Second, the emerged of the student
are active in the movements at their movements is also driven by political
campuses to spread their ideological factors. This is especially true in the case
orientation. Contestation with other of HMI and PMII. Within the plethora
movements, other religion based of nationalist movements, the Muslim
student organizations, and non-religious students compelled to engage in coloring
organizations are ideological factors that political attitudes, although these
incite Islamic movements to emerge at movements are not the substructuresof
campuses. Jong Islamieten Bond (JIB), any Islamic political parties. However,
as will be explained later, emerged as in terms of Islam politics, the Islamic
an antithesis to Jong Java that failed student movements cannot be classified
to accommodate the Muslim students’ as a movement of Islamism, since none
Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 317