Democratic leadership and the habituation of self-discipline among female students in an Indonesian islamic boarding school
Keywords:
Democratic Leadership, Female Students, Islamic Boarding School, Participatory Leadership, Self-DisciplineAbstract
This study aims to examine how democratic leadership fosters the habituation of self-discipline among female students at Al-Ishlah Islamic Boarding School in Jenggawah, Jember. The research was motivated by the growing need to transform disciplinary practices in Islamic boarding schools from externally enforced compliance toward internally regulated self-discipline. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of leadership practices, disciplinary habituation, and students' participation within the pesantren environment. Data were collected through passive participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis involving pesantren caregivers, dormitory heads, student organization leaders, and female students. The data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, consisting of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. In contrast, data trustworthiness was ensured through source and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that democratic leadership is implemented through participatory communication, deliberative decision-making, shared responsibility, and active student involvement in institutional activities. Self-discipline is cultivated through structured daily routines, exemplary conduct, organizational oversight, and periodic evaluation, leading to the gradual internalization of disciplined behavior. Female students responded positively to these leadership practices, demonstrating increased participation, confidence in expressing opinions, and responsibility toward collectively agreed regulations. The novelty of this study lies in conceptualizing democratic leadership as a character-building mechanism that facilitates the transformation of discipline from external compliance into internal self-regulation within a pesantren context. This study contributes to the literature on educational leadership, character education, and pesantren management by providing empirical evidence that participatory leadership can strengthen students' sustainable self-discipline in Islamic boarding schools.
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