DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.185976.1 ISSN: 2046-1402

Constructing Civic Virtue Through Spiritual Well-Being and Family Resilience: A Schutzian Phenomenological Study at Nahdlatul Ulama Pesantren, Purwakarta, Indonesia

Zindan Baynal Hubi, Karim Suryadi, Siti Nurbayani, Asep Mahpudz, Ryan Prayogi, MIrza Hardian, Dwi Nanda Akhmad Romadhon
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Background Civic virtue formation in Islamic educational institutions remains underexplored at the family level. While pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) are recognized as pillars of civic character development in Indonesia, the intersubjective mechanisms through which spiritual well-being and family resilience construct civic virtue have not been systematically examined. This study addresses the gap by investigating lived experiences of families within NU pesantren communities in Purwakarta, West Java. Methods A Schutzian social phenomenological design was employed to explore the intersubjective construction of civic virtue within pesantren family units. Purposive sampling yielded 10 families (n  =  30 participants: father, mother, and enrolled santri per family) from three NU-affiliated pesantren in Purwakarta. Data were collected through in-depth phenomenological interviews guided by Schutz’s concepts of typification, relevance structures, and stock of knowledge. Bracketing procedures were documented prior to analysis. Data were analyzed through phenomenological reduction, identification of typifications, mapping of motivational relevance, and intersubjective reconstruction. Results Three essential intersubjective structures were identified: (1) a shared spiritual lifeworld — the pesantren ecosystem functions as a taken-for-granted moral horizon that permeates family life beyond institutional boundaries; (2) typification of civic virtue as ‘hubbul wathan minal iman’ — families collectively typify love of nation as a religious obligation, converting civic behavior into an expression of faith; and (3) layered motivational structures — because-motives rooted in kiai authority and transmitted family narratives, and in-order-to motives directed toward national integrity and intergenerational moral continuity. Conclusions The study presents an Intersubjective Civic Capital model demonstrating that spiritual well-being functions as the ontological antecedent of civic virtue, mediated by family resilience as an intersubjective mechanism. These findings extend Schutzian social phenomenology to the civic education domain and provide empirical evidence that salaf Islamic institutions serve as moral anchors for national identity in an era of digital disruption.

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