Introduction:

Islam in Provincial Indonesia: Middle Class, Lifestyle, and Democracy

“…This law drastically limited the authority of the central government, and devolved considerable authority to district governments, thereby strengthening the position of the local government at the district and municipal levels. 57 Despite the fact that regional, religious, and ethnic identity politics assumed much greater importance, 58 decentralization is widely recognized as a major and necessary step towards nurturing a flourishing democracy by giving space for people to participate in local political processes. 59 Local elite political groups adopted a range of strategies to redefine and strengthen regional identity as a means of increasing their electoral support.…”