The Meaning of Belonging to a Community Among Jazwa Members: A Phenomenological Study

Authors

  • Salma Novia Nurfarida Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang Author
  • Hilwa Junaida Fairuz Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang Author
  • Anita Rosita Dewi Indriani Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang Author
  • Hilla Zahrotul Habibah Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang Author
  • Siti Hikmah Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65310/j3qse074

Keywords:

belonging, phenomenology, sense of community, emotional connection, spiritual community.

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of Jazwa community members to understand how their sense of belonging is formed and sustained through dynamic interpersonal and spiritual processes. Using a phenomenological approach, the research investigates four core dimensions membership, influence, integration, and shared emotional connection as conceptualized in classic community psychology theory. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and participant observations, allowing the voices of members to reveal how social recognition, collaborative engagement, and collective spiritual activities shape their emotional attachment to the community. Findings show that belonging emerges not merely from formal organizational structures but from the accumulation of meaningful interactions that foster emotional security, mutual trust, and continuity of relationships. Members describe feeling valued, needed, and emotionally connected through shared challenges and rituals, which strengthen their commitment to ongoing involvement. This study highlights the role of spiritual-based communities in providing psychosocial support and identity affirmation, offering insight into how contemporary youth communities construct resilient emotional bonds that contribute to long-term social well-being.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aggarwal, S., Wright, J., Morgan, A., Patton, G., & Reavley, N. (2023). Religiosity and spirituality in the prevention and management of depression and anxiety in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1), 729. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05091-2

Ahmadi, R., & Nafis, M. M. (2024). Sense of community dan fragmentasi identitas diaspora Muslim Indonesia: Studi kasus AIMF-ACT dan IMCV di Australia. Refleksi: Jurnal Kajian Agama dan Filsafat, 23(2), 301–324.

Alam, J., Ayaz, T. U., & Aziz, T. (2024). The role of local supporters in promoting social cohesion in District Orakzai: A qualitative study. Human Nature Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 380–387. https://doi.org/10.71016/hnjss/cdevbc76

Alhuzail, N. A. (2023). “I just live in the village, but I don’t belong to it”: Educated young Bedouin men and belonging. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 38(3), 1511–1527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-022-10002-0

Banda, K. B. (2022). An exploration of Latinx Generation Z secondary teachers’ lived experiences, motivations, and retention factors to teach in the Rio Grande Valley (Doctoral dissertation). The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research designs: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE.

Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (2010). Sense of community as a protective factor against long-term psychological effects of childhood violence. Social Service Review, 84(1), 129–147.

Husain, K., & Allani, N. B. M. A. (2024). Crafting cultural identity: A phenomenological study of traditional Bahraini architecture and community engagement. In Innovative approaches to cultural heritage and sustainable urban development: Integrating tradition and modernity (p. 206).

Khalifa, H. S. (2023). In her own words: A phenomenological study of women’s meaning making in their lived experience of female genital cutting/circumcision/mutilation (Doctoral dissertation). Adelphi University.

Knodell, A. R., Athanasoulis, D., Tankosić, Ž., Cherry, J. F., Garonis, T. K., Levine, E. I., ... & Öztürk, H. Ç. (2022). An island archaeology of uninhabited landscapes: Offshore islets near Paros, Greece (the Small Cycladic Islands Project). The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 17(4), 475–511. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564894.2020.1807426

Lambert, S. P. (2022). Altered states and cosmoscapes: The production and consumption of Datura in the Central Arkansas River Valley. In Archaeologies of cosmoscapes in the Americas (p. 67).

McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6–23.

Micillo, L., Canale, N., Naddeo, D., Cellini, N., & Mioni, G. (2024). The effect of the sense of community on depression, anxiety, and stress: The mediation role of a balanced time perspective. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 321. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01797-4

Moleong, L. J. (2019). Metode penelitian kualitatif (Edisi revisi). PT Remaja Rosdakarya.

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE.

Nasir, A., Nurjana, N., Shah, K., Sirodj, R. A., & Afgani, M. W. (2023). Pendekatan fenomenologi dalam penelitian kualitatif. Innovative: Journal of Social Science Research, 3(5), 4445–4451.

Peterson, N. A., Speer, P. W., & McMillan, D. W. (2008). Validation of a brief sense of community scale: Confirmation of the principal theory of sense of community. Journal of Community Psychology, 36(1), 61–73.

Plante, T. G. (2024). Religious and spiritual communities must adapt or die: Surviving and thriving during challenging contemporary times. Religions, 15(7), 791.

Smith, E. M. (2022). A multitheoretical comparative analysis of social organizations and interaction in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the American Southwest (Doctoral dissertation). Washington State University.

Sugiyono, D. (2013). Metode penelitian pendidikan: Pendekatan kuantitatif, kualitatif dan R&D. Alfabeta.

Tariq, M., Rubab, I., & Parveen, H. S. (2022). Religion and belonging: Voices of Lahore’s Khawajasiras' community. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 12(1), 239–253. https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.121.17

Published

2025-11-02

How to Cite

The Meaning of Belonging to a Community Among Jazwa Members: A Phenomenological Study. (2025). Journal of Social Humanities and Education, 1(2), 01-09. https://doi.org/10.65310/j3qse074