Introduction

Contrary to most recent scholarship on Islam and politics that tends to focus on modern, urban, and middle-class Muslims’ thoughts, practices, rituals, and traditions, this book shows that traditional understanding and practices of Islam and politics in democratizing and decentralizing Indonesia in the midst of the rise of more modern understanding and urban-style practices of Islam is still persistent. Madura is a clear example for this. This chapter discusses the focus of the book, the arguments, theoretical discussions, and related studies. This introductory chapter is very essential before proceeding to other chapters.