Michel Foucault's Critical Discourse Analysis of Controversy News in Islamic Boarding Schools

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the construction of power and knowledge within the polemics that occurred at Al-Zaytun Islamic Boarding Schools. The study adopts a critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach, utilizing the framework of Michel Foucault's thinking. The primary data source for this research consists of news coverage published by Kompas.com, a leading news website in Indonesia. The collected news articles underwent a rigorous qualitative analysis process guided by the principles of critical discourse analysis and Michel Foucault's framework. Research shows that differences in interpretation and understanding of religious teachings cause controversies in Islamic boarding schools. The construction of power and knowledge in Islamic boarding schools plays a vital role in shaping the views and actions of individuals and the wider community. Islamic boarding schools have authority in interpreting and teaching religious teachings to students, and this includes a hierarchical structure in leadership, decisions taken by kyai or caregivers, and control over the religious knowledge conveyed to students. This research provides a deeper understanding of power, knowledge, and resistance dynamics within the context of polemics. From Michel Foucault's perspective, critical discourse analysis offers a critical view of the relationship between power, knowledge, and discourse in society.