Search Results (5)

This study examines the intersection of identity politics, local wisdom, and millennial engagement in fostering social cohesion in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Against the backdrop of ethnic and religious diversity, identity politics has often served as a tool for polarization, particularly during elections, targeting vulnerable millennial demographics. Utilizing a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, this study highlights how local wisdom values, including gotong royong (mutual cooperation) and Dalihan Na Tolu (Batak cultural values), support social harmony and mitigate divisive identity-based narratives. These findings underscore the unique potential of millennials to bridge social divides if they engage in community programs that incorporate these values. Additionally, this study proposes an innovative education model that integrates local wisdom and digital technology to enhance millennials’ awareness and resilience against identity politics. This approach enhances social cohesion and positions millennials as agents of positive social change. This study contributes to the broader discourse on multiculturalism, identity politics, and generational roles in national unity within Indonesia’s socio-political landscape. Full article

In this article, I propose a collaborative preaching model for healing collective trauma. It begins with the preaching context of a society in the grip of collective trauma after a traumatic event. Taking the May 1998 tragedy in Jakarta, Indonesia, as a case study and employing descriptive, historical, and analytical methods, this study argues that the Church is called to respond to collective trauma in its ministries as part of God’s mission. The research focuses specifically on the ministry of preaching and explores theories of trauma-aware preaching to affirm that preaching can indeed be a medium for healing collective trauma. I then present a collaborative preaching model for collective trauma healing by integrating a conversational preaching approach with the local Indonesian traditions of gotong-royong and musyawarah-mufakat. Full article

The Indonesian government prioritizes development in the 3T regions: frontier, outermost, and least-developed areas, which are vital for holistic progress. Aligned with the Golden Generation program, it emphasizes education, tech access, and entrepreneurship to empower youth against societal challenges. Larantuka, in East Nusa Tenggara of Indonesia, exemplifies local maritime culture’s influence and the need for personalized e-learning which is rooted in tradition. Qualitative research was conducted and identified two key factors: content reflecting collective memory and offline accessibility. Local culture alongside formal education fosters character building and lifelong learning by integrating theoretical teachings with practical applications, based on the cultural value of “gotong royong” (mutual cooperation). This approach ensures that Indonesia’s cultural heritage thrives amidst educational progress. Full article

Family communal spaces have multiple functions and can accommodate the activities of individuals and families. These spaces accommodate the life of gotong royong, which is a form of solidarity and togetherness in the form of local wisdom of the Indonesian people. Families apply this traditional concept in space and create cohesion through intense interaction between families, which will have an impact on the security and resilience of settlement against negative things that come from society and the environment. The purpose of this study is to examine how interactions influenced by local wisdom and the environment create cohesion, which has an impact on community and environmental resilience in coastal settlements. The research method uses geographic methods with socio-spatial analysis and behavioral mapping methods with place-central mapping analysis. The study shows cohesion between families increases because of the high-intensity meetings and a sense of belonging and togetherness as a family. Unity with the environment is also formed because of their livelihood as fishermen who have close relationships with the sea and the coast. In addition to cohesion, the family communal space creates community and environmental resilience because of the additional functions as areas of family and environmental control. Full article

Two issues occur related to cooperatives’ entity resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first comes from external stakeholders increasing the role of government in empowering cooperatives. Second is the strengthening of solidarity cooperatives members demonstrate in helping each other. To address these issues, the purpose of this study will be to explore the role of government in supporting cooperative resilience and to observe the internal values of cooperatives. Examining these two concerns will reveal how cooperatives engage external and internal stakeholders to handle unforeseen circumstances. Data were collected from two cognate countries, Indonesia and Malaysia. To gather data, 9 informants were interviewed, and 14 YouTube channels and 6 government websites were observed. The data were transcribed and analyzed. These data lead to the following two themes: the significant government support and the tight connected feeling of members to help each other, called gotong royong. These themes will be useful for understanding the optimal way to increase the engagement of external and internal cooperative stakeholders, as the key to cooperative resilience. It was found that government has a major role in the development of cooperatives, in both countries, Indonesia and Malaysia. Gotong royong, as the spirit of the cooperative movement, especially in Indonesia, saved the cooperative industry during the pandemic. This study supports the stakeholder theory and social capital theory and contributes to the literature on the practices of cooperatives in two countries. Full article