The Political Economy of Fatwas: The Tobacco Industry, Religious Authority, and Social Class Realities for Women Smokers in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38073/aljadwa.5345Keywords:
Political Economy, Religious Fatwa, Social Class Stigma, Tobacco Industry, Female SmokersAbstract
For Indonesian women, smoking occupies a contested space shaped by dual stigmas (health risks and social censure) intensified by contradictory religious edicts and the tobacco industry’s influence. This phenomenological study examines the interplay among fatwas, commercial interests, and social realities shaping women’s smoking practices. Drawing on informants’ domiciles across rural and urban East Java, data were collected through observation and in-depth interviews with sixteen individuals from four groups: ten female smokers, two industry representatives, two religious authorities (from NU and Muhammadiyah), and two social observers. Thematic analysis revealed three findings: a disjuncture between profit-driven industry and maṣlaḥah-based religious reasoning prioritizing harm prevention; a layered double stigma shifting with class and geography, with urban areas more tolerant; and gendered marketing strategies using flavored, sleek products to appeal to women indirectly. Ultimately, fatwas serve as moral guides and contested arenas that inadvertently reinforce the stigma they seek to address, revealing how misaligned industrial, religious, and social logics perpetuate marginalization. This research makes a significant contribution by enriching the literature on health sociology, religious studies, and gender studies through mapping the intersection of capitalism, doctrine, and social stratification, while offering practical references for formulating more inclusive, gender-sensitive policies contextualized to rural and urban dynamics.
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