Countering Extremist Narratives

Details

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the Center for the Study of Religion and Culture (CSRC) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta have been developing the Countering Extremist Narratives (KNE) program since July 2017. In 2018, this initiative was expanded under the theme "Voicing Peace and Harmony: Enhancing the Role of Pesantren in Countering Extremist Narratives", with pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) serving as the primary partners in the program’s implementation. The program aims to enhance the capacity of pesantren in promoting peace, harmony, and tolerance through the countering of extremist narratives. As the oldest educational institutions in Indonesia, pesantren possess significant social capital for peacebuilding and efforts to prevent radicalism and violent extremism.

From 2018 to 2023, the program was implemented across the island of Java through “Countering Extremist Narratives: The Voice of Pesantren for Peace and Tolerance” training sessions, which began with a Training of Trainers (ToT) followed by Micro Teaching sessions. This approach allowed for the training to be conducted in five provinces, including DKI Jakarta (and surrounding areas), West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java, before advancing to Advance Training for deeper skills enhancement. All participants were young pesantren teachers (ustadz/ustadzah). The success of these trainings is captured in a Story of Change book that narrates the transformational journeys of the ustadz/ustadzah involved in the Pesantren for Peace (PfP) and KNE programs.

Starting in 2023, the KNE program began to expand beyond Java through workshops titled "The Role of Pesantren in Promoting Peace through Countering Extremist Narratives", aimed at mapping needs and assessing program relevance in different regions. By 2024, these workshops had reached five cities in five provinces outside Java, including South Sumatra (Palembang), West Nusa Tenggara (Lombok), South Sulawesi (Makassar), Central Sulawesi (Palu), and East Kalimantan (Balikpapan). Following recommendations to intensify and deepen KNE training in these provinces, Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions were conducted to equip selected workshop participants to become KNE trainers.

From September 9-12, 2024, a ToT was successfully held with 25 participants representing these five provinces. This program aimed to enhance the skills and awareness of pesantren teachers regarding extremist narratives and counter-narrative strategies. The training produced several key recommendations, including: (1) strengthening coordination and communication among KNE workshop alumni, who have already formed alliances in each region, (2) increasing KNE literacy and narratives within pesantren, (3) integrating KNE materials into teaching curricula, (4) promoting KNE messages through sermons and lectures, (5) enhancing collaboration among trainers to refine content and methods, both online and offline, and (7) conducting Micro Teaching sessions for potential trainers in each region as a practical training ground before larger sessions.

In line with these recommendations, Micro Teaching sessions were conducted directly in five regions, involving ToT alumni as trainers. Micro teaching is a crucial training method designed to help prospective trainers develop their training and facilitation skills in a smaller, more controlled environment. These sessions typically have fewer participants (15 individuals compared to the regular 25 in full KNE training) to ensure focused skill development. Monitoring and supervision reports indicate that this approach has successfully improved the competencies of prospective trainers, fostered more active and effective training methods, and boosted the confidence of trainers for future sessions.

However, despite these positive outcomes, evaluations have highlighted several areas for improvement. These include the need for better integration of participatory approaches, consistency in training content across different regions, and stronger team coordination among trainers. To address these gaps and ensure the effectiveness of future training sessions, it has been recommended that trainers come together for a Consultation Meeting to evaluate, coordinate, and strengthen their capacity for KNE training. This meeting, organized by the Center for the Study of Religion and Culture (CSRC) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta with full support from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), aims to address these challenges and enhance the overall impact of the KNE program.

 📅 May 15-16, 2025

📍 Aston Bintaro Hotel & Conference Center, South Tangerang