Consumptive Culture: Reconfiguring Santri’s Values in the Age of Consumerism

Abstract

Consumer culture increasingly intersects with religious identity, creating tensions between contemporary consumption and values of simplicity cultivated through pesantren education. This study examines how consumer culture interacts with santri values and contributes to the reconfiguration of religious identity. A qualitative case study involved 24 informants, comprising 18 santri, four teachers, and two pesantren administrators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, then analysed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. Consumer practices became normalised through gadgets, clothing, food, possessions, peer interaction, purchasing, and digital exposure. Santri simultaneously negotiated consumer aspirations with simplicity by distinguishing needs from wants and considering pesantren norms. The study conceptualises consumer culture as a process of value negotiation and identity reconfiguration rather than straightforward religious erosion. Pesantren should strengthen consumer literacy, digital literacy, ethical consumption, and critical decision-making within character education.