POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON RELIGIOUS SCHOOL: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON INDONESIAN ISLAMIC SCHOOL CURRICULA Muhammad Zuhdi 110148550 Department of Integrated Studies in Education Faculty of Education - Mc Gill University Montreal- Canada A thesis suhmitted to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Office McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2006 © Muhammad Zuhdi 2006 Library and Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-27863-5 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-27863-5 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. ln compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privée, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont été enlevés de cette thèse. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page cou nt, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. ••• Canada Nining and Izza, 1 would like you ta know how thanliful Iam for your endless support. This thesis is my dedication for bath ofyou. ABSTRACT As the most populous Muslim country in the world, Indonesia has a unique experience in dealing with Islamic education, a system that was established years before the country' s independence. This dissertation focuses on the development of Indonesian Islamic schools in facing the challenges of modemization and globalization, with special reference to their changing curricula. Using the social constructionist perspective as an approach, this study examines the significance of political and social changes to the development of Islamic schools' curricula throughout the country' s history. This study finds evidences of a reciprocal relationship between the changing curricula of Indonesian Islamic schools and the changing social and political circumstances. ii RESUMÉ Comme pays musulman le plus populeux au monde, l'Indonésie a une expérience unique en ce qui concerne l'éducation islamique, un système qui a été établi des années avant l'indépendance du pays. Cette dissertation se concentre sur le développement des écoles islamiques indonésiennes en se référant tout particulièrement à leurs programmes d'études qui se changent pour faire face aux défis de la modernisation et de la globalisation. En utilisant la perspective de la construction sociale comme approche, cette étude examine la signification des changements sociaux et politiques pour le développement des programmes d'études des écoles islamiques à travers l'histoire du pays. Cette étude en outre constate que le rapport réciproque entre les changements subi par les programmes d'études les écoles islamiques indonésiennes et les circonstances sociopolitiques changeantes est évident. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS An academic work such as a thesis, although that it is a personal work, cannot possibly exist without assistance from various individuals. This dissertation is not an exception. 1 am very lucky to receive enormous support, encouragement and assistance from my family and colleagues, both in Indonesia and Canada. Receiving two scholarships (AusAID and CIDA) within seven years was beyond my highest hopes. These have allowed me to pursue my graduate studies in Australia and Canada. My appointment at McGill University particularly has enriched both my knowledge and experiences to the benefit of my academic career. From my religious perspective, all of these events could not happen without God' s will, and hence, thanking Almighty God is the first thing that 1 want to do. 1 hope this achievement willlead me to become a better educator and, more importantly, a better human being. Institutionally speaking, 1 would never have experienced the enriching environment and other invaluable experiences at McGill without the support from UIN (State Islamic University) SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta. 1 am particularly indebted to Prof. Azyumardi Azra, the present Rector of the University who has both permitted and encouraged me to pursue my graduate studies at McGill. The completion of my thesis is almost impossible without the help and support from my PhD committee. 1 am particularly grateful to Dr. Spencer Boudreau, my thesis supervisor, who did not only read and give encouraging comments about my thesis, but was also supportive of my other academic activities, such as presenting and sending my papers to various conferences and academic joumals. His support and positive comments have been very influential to both the completion of my program and my engagement in various academic activities. Likewise, 1 also would like to express my gratitude to other committee members: Dr. Ruth Sandwell of OISE University of Toronto, Dr. Howard Riggs of the Department oflntegrated Studies in Education McGill University, and Dr. A. Unner Turgay of the Institute ofIslamic Studies McGill University. 1 feel that the encouragement, IV comments, and suggestions from my PhD committee have been very helpful for me in continuing my project, particularly during the early stage of my studies. My study at McGill University would only have been a dream without scholarship from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency). 1 am therefore thankful to CIDA for providing the bursary through IISEP (lndonesia-IAIN Social Equity Project, a.k.a. Indonesia Project), and 1 am particularly grateful to the Indonesia Project's officiaIs. Thanks to the Director of the project Ms. Wendy Allen and her team: Lori Novak, Susy Ricciardelly, Jennifer Proudfoot, and Anni Yoesoef. The warm and friendly welcome from the project staff, since my early presence in Montreal aIl the way through to the end of my study, has made me feel at home in Montreal and eased the hardship ofmy life far from home. During the few months visit to Indonesia for fieldwork in 2003,1 was fortunate to receive help and support from a number of individuals. 1 would like particularly to thank ;---.. Refualdi ofUniversitas Negeri Padang and his family, whose hosted me during my few days visit to West Sumatra; Wardi Isman ofPerguruan Al-Azhar Jakarta and the officiaIs ofYayasan Al-Azhar; Akyhar Jasit ofPerguruan Thawalib Padang Panjang; Buya Syahruddin Ar-Rasuli ofMTI Candung; Buya Hasan Ahmad of Muhammadiyah Padang Panjang; Hazmul Fitri and Azwar Tanjung ofPMT Prof. Dr. Hamka; Musta'in Syafi'i and Farichin Ikhwan ofMASS Tebu Ireng; Abdullah Maksum and Yon Mahmudi of MAN Darul Ulum; and Ja'far oflnsan Cendekia. As weIl, 1 would like to also express my sincere gratitude to Husni Rahim, Ali Hasan, Zakiyah Darajat, A. Rahman Saleh, Chamdun, dan Masyhuri of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, for their time, support and encouragement. Faculty members and administrative staff of the Faculty of Education, particularly the Department of Integrated Studies in Education: Dr. Roger SIee, Dr. Mary Maguire, Dr. Steve Jordan, Dr. Elizabeth Wood, Dr. Y. G. Kelebay, Dr. Jon Bradley, Dr. Boyd White, Marissa Terrenzio-El-laoui, Kathy McElroy, Nada Abu Merhy, Tina Schiavone, and Cathy ;---.. Hughes; the staff of Education Computer lab and Media Service; the librarians of the v Education library; and the c1eaning service staff also deserve my gratitude for their supports, services, and, most of aIl, friendship, that made my stay at the faculty enjoyable. My coIleagues at the Department of Integrated Studies in Education also deserve my appreciation for their kindness and supportive, sincere friendship. l am particularly thankful to Dr. Ayaz Naseem, Adeela Arshad-Ayaz, Kimiko Hinenoya, May Tan, Margaret Williams, George Carani, Seddika Abdel Kadir, Leanne Johnny, and other friends at the Faculty of Education who have been very helpful and encouraging. This dissertation and other papers that l produced during my study at McGill would not be enjoyable to read without linguistic corrections from my language editors. Therefore l would like to extend my sincere thanks to Steve Millier, May Tan, John Gilbert, and Sara Kennedy who have spent sorne of their time proofreading the drafts of this dissertation and sorne other papers of mine. l also would like to thank my friends and colleagues at McGill Copy Service: