Digital Transformation and Socio-Cultural Change in Pesantren: A Systematic Literature Review
TL;DR
The findings show that digitalization does not replace pesantren traditions, but operates through selective adaptation, and pesantren respond to digital transformation through negotiated and context-sensitive strategies that preserve identity while accommodating innovation.
Abstract
Pesantren in Indonesia are currently facing a wave of digital transformation, significantly impacting their socio-cultural and institutional landscapes. This study examines how digital transformation shapes socio-cultural change and what tensions, resistances, and adaptation strategies emerge in the digital transformation of pesantren in Indonesia. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method guided by PRISMA framework, this study synthesizes literatureon the adoption of digital technology in pesantren from 2015 to 2026. The findings show that digitalization does not replace pesantren traditions, but operates through selective adaptation. At the socio-cultural level, digital literacy reshapes santri from passive consumers into critical users and producers of information, while digital platforms expand da’wah, public communication, and alumni networks. In pedagogy, digital tools support hybrid learning, although face-to-face traditions remain central. At the institutional level, digitalization strengthens governance, accountability, economic development, and institutional branding. However, these changes also generate tensions related to unequal access, infrastructural limitations, and concerns over the erosion of kiai authority, kitab kuning, and traditional discipline. Overall, pesantren respond to digital transformation through negotiated and context-sensitive strategies that preserve identity while accommodating innovation.