Religious Values and Bonding and Bridging Social Capital in a Multireligious Indonesian Elementary School

Abstract

Religious and cultural diversity in elementary schools creates opportunities for belonging within faith communities and relationships across them. Yet how religious values are expressed through school practices and associated with bonding and bridging social capital remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to explore pupils’ social identities and the practices associated with both forms of social capital in a multireligious elementary school in Gresik, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach involving 11 participants: one principal, two Islamic Religious Education teachers, five pupils, and three parents, selected mainly through purposive sampling with limited snowball recruitment. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and school documents, and analyzed through iterative data condensation, display, and conclusion drawing. The findings showed that pupils maintained distinct religious and cultural affiliations while identifying with a shared school community. Differentiated religious instruction provided space for particular identities, whereas Lunar New Year celebrations, halal bi halal, and community service offered opportunities for cross-group interaction. Bonding social capital was reflected in shared norms, trust, and mutual assistance, while bridging social capital appeared in cooperation across differences. The study contributes a context-bound heuristic linking religious values, habituated practices, social networks, and belonging with implications for school activities that recognize differences and support meaningful cross-group participation.