The rise of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia : identity, ideology and religio-political mobilization

Abstract

This thesis investigates the emergence and growth of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI; Party of Liberation). HTI is a branch of the international movement, Hizb ut-Tahrir. The party has been very successful at utilising political space to recruit and mobilize activists, build loyaI cadres with a deep grasp of its ideology, and most importantly, create a common identity among members. Its ability to forge a collective identity within the movement has led to a high rate of membership retention. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted in the field, the thesis describes the journey a person undergoes before becoming a member of HTI. The interviews will focus on the processes of 'culturing' and socialization to which prospective recruits are subject, which result in behavioural, cognitive and affective changes. It is this transformation that produces a distinctive Hizb ut-Tahrir identity. This study notes that while collective identity is the most important factor in HTI's growth, it is by no means the only one. Other factors have also contributed to its growth. The open political system that followed the collapse of the authoritarian New Order govemment enabled the party to emerge publicly after some two decades of underground activity, and begin overtly recruiting members and launching collective actions. I examine the party's resource mobilization strategies and examine how these strategies have resulted in its successful membership recruitment, raising of funds and expansion of its organizational structure. Consideration is also given to how the party's anti-systemic rationalistic ideology has led to potential members choosing HTI over other Islamist movements in Indonesia. This thesis employs a structural-cognitive approach to understanding the growth of HTI. The political opportunity structure and resource mobilization variant of the social movement theory will be utilized to understand the structural factors that impacted HTI. The cognitive factors will be explained by using the theories of ideology and identity. This theoretical approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of HTI's growth.