Civil or Un-Civil Society? Islamist Identity, Democracy and Civil Society in Contemporary Surakarta

This article attempts to analyze the development of an ideology of Islamism that rejects the political system of democracy through the reasoning of civil society. As a study of civil society and democracy, this article has significance in understanding the complexities of democratic practice in the scope of the identity of Islamist groups post-democratization in Indonesia. The proliferation of Islamist movements in grassroots communities in Indonesia is a unique phenomenon that has a dualistic meaning. On the one hand, Islamist opposition to the democratic system can be a threat to the continuance of evolving democratic theory. On the other hand, the actions they do have a good tendency in running the logic of democracy by realizing positive law as the reference in conveying their aspirations. This article was held on several examples of cases of Islamist groups in Surakarta namely Laskar Umat Islam Surakarta. Based on intensive field studies and in-depth interviews with the movement figures, this study reveals that the existence of Islamists in Surakarta is still in line with the big narrative of civil society ideas, i.e., good society, social life and free public sphere. In case of expressing aspiration, Islamism activists try to make a mass rallies, lobbying with stakeholders, involving the security apparatus, political bargaining, and setting up legal communities, which these all are some reasonable endeavors as part of civil society in a democratic country. Therefore, remind them of the idea of democracy as well as follow the democratic practice that can be a trigger for legal awareness for a democratic society in Indonesia.