Bestuurskunde: Journal of Governmental Studies

Women Politics in Türkiye and the Reflection for Indonesia’s Village Governance

Titis Thoriquttyas, Nita Rohmawati, Wisnu Yaqzan Naba — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Although there has been significant progress in women’s rights in recent decades, traditional gender roles remain deeply embedded in Indonesia and Türkiye, particularly in rural areas. This study investigates a real-world instance of how women contribute to Turkish decision-making. The theoretical framework examines how gender dynamics, state policies, and leadership styles affect governance results in rural areas by incorporating two primary theories: participatory feminism and intersectionality. The first female Muhtar (elected village head of Türkiye), Gül Esin, made a name for herself as a role model for women across Türkiye, which had a lasting impact on village administration. This historical perspective highlights the increasing recognition of women’s perspectives within the village administration. This study uses library research to analyze Gül Esin’s leadership, village governance, and gender studies in Indonesia and Türkiye. This study uses document analysis to investigate the conceptualization and application of women’s leadership within Indonesian village governance. The findings underscore the critical role of women’s participation in village decision-making processes and demonstrate how their leadership contributes to more inclusive and effective governance. The study also offers policy recommendations, advocating for gender-sensitive policies and intersectional assessments in village governance, with a focus on marginalized communities. The results provide valuable insights into measures that can be implemented in similar situations regarding how village-level governance can be maximized to enhance women’s empowerment, particularly in the Indonesian context.

Who Benefits from Revision the Village Law? A Reflection on Political Governance

Dedy Pribadi Uang, Alpriyanto Situmorang — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

The paper discusses the revision of Indonesia’s Village Law, specifically analyzing its socio-political impacts. The study reflects on the extension of the village head’s term and other legislative changes through a political governance lens. The revisions in Law No. 3 of 2024 have sparked controversy, with critics highlighting potential issues such as abuse of power, reduced democratic engagement, and declining public participation. The paper employs a literature review method, conceptually utilizing the six principles of Good Governance—legitimacy, transparency, accountability, rule of law, responsiveness, and effectiveness—as an evaluative framework. The findings indicate that the extension of village heads’ terms, coinciding with the 2024 national elections, serves elite political interests rather than the public good. It has led to concerns about diminished village-level democracy and governance quality. The study concludes that the revised law, while intending to improve governance, mainly benefits political elites, raising doubts about its long-term contribution to village development and democracy.

Conflict Prevention in Rural Development: Strengthening the Authority of Village Autonomy

Desi Natalia Sihombing, Djayeng Tirto, Arifuddin Uksan — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Village development is one of the main pillars in the effort to improve community welfare and promote economic equity. Although the number of advanced and self-sufficient villages has continued to increase, the gap between rural and urban areas remains significant, particularly in infrastructure, access to basic services, and technology. Development conflicts are largely unavoidable, often triggered by disparities in resource distribution, ineffective communication, and limited public understanding of development benefits. This study examines the role of village autonomy in preventing development conflicts and its implications for sustainable and equitable growth, using Wadas Village, Central Java, as a case study. The conflict emerged from the government’s plan to exploit andesite stone for the Bener Dam without transparent public participation. The local community resisted, fearing environmental degradation and threats to agricultural land. The unequal distribution of benefits intensified tensions, as residents perceived more harm than advantage from the project. This study employed a descriptive-analytical method with a qualitative approach to analyze conflict patterns and contributing factors by reviewing academic literature, policy reports, and official documents. The findings reveal that village development conflicts in Indonesia are multidimensional, shaped by socio-economic disparities and uneven resource distribution. Poor communication, limited public participation, and neglect of local wisdom further exacerbate tensions. Village autonomy offers a strategic opportunity to establish conflict prevention mechanisms through policy integration. A holistic approach, encompassing structural assessment, actor analysis, and conflict mitigation, can foster more inclusive and equitable development.

Strengthening Good Village Governance Strategy: Transparency, Accountability, and Inclusive Rural Development

Aji Baskoro — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined the transformative role of village governance in advancing rural welfare in Indonesia, particularly following the enactment of the Village Law. This pivotal legislation grants villages autonomy to independently manage their resources and budgets, targeting enhanced rural prosperity through substantial financial allocations. The Village Law aims to empower local communities and strengthen their socio-economic foundations by addressing the persistent gaps in rural development since Indonesia’s independence. The study adopted a normative-juridical method integrated with a qualitative approach to scrutinize the legal norms and frameworks governing village governance and the Village Fund. A historical approach was used to trace the evolution of village governance structures, while a conceptual framework was employed to explore key principles of governance, accountability, and transparency. This multidimensional analysis underscores the necessity of implementing robust checks and balances, such as the Village Consultative Body (BPD) and public information systems, as fundamental pillars for ensuring transparency, accountability, and effective governance. Furthermore, the study highlights critical strategies for strengthening village governance, including capacity-building programs for village officials and fostering active community participation, particularly among marginalized groups. These initiatives aim to prevent the misuse of power, enhance public oversight, and support inclusive rural development. By embedding these mechanisms, villages can achieve sustainable governance that drives economic growth, improves community welfare, and bridges historical inequalities in rural development. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on good governance by emphasizing the interplay between legal frameworks, institutional capacity, and participatory practices in achieving equitable and effective rural governance.

Village Policy Reform through Law No. 3 of 2024: Village Head Tenure and the Role of Rehabilitation Funds

Dwi Jati Marta — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Village policy reform in Indonesia underwent significant changes with the enactment of Law No. 3 of 2024, which regulated the village heads’ term of office and the management of rehabilitation funds. This study employed a descriptive qualitative method with a normative legal approach to analyze the reforms introduced by Law No. 3 of 2024, particularly the extension of the village head’s term of office and the role of rehabilitation funds. Legislative analysis, literature review, and content analysis were employed, and source triangulation was applied to ensure validity and generate insights into policy effectiveness and recommendations for improved village governance. It also examined the impact of these reforms on sustainable development and disaster resilience. Utilizing the frameworks of good governance and participatory governance theories, this study highlighted the risks of power abuse, the importance of transparency, and community participation in village fund management. A comparative case study approach was adopted to provide policy recommendations to enhance accountability, prevent corruption, and improve village governance effectiveness.

Deliberative Public Policy of Village Governance: Legal-Historical Notes During the Implementation of Regional Autonomy

Eduardo Edwin Ramda — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Post-reform, the Indonesian government has guaranteed open access to public participation down to the village level through various legal products, ranging from laws to government regulations. However, behind this commitment, a phenomenon of pseudo-participation has emerged, revealing serious issues and challenges in its implementation. Existing regulations, which are supposed to govern the norms of public participation, often become “paper tigers”, they do not function optimally within the policy-making process. The gap between the ideal conditions outlined in the regulations and the reality on the ground becomes a crucial point, particularly because the deliberative process in formulating public policies at both central and regional levels remains very limited. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study method in several villages that have implemented public participation mechanisms in development planning. The proposed solution is institutional strengthening through the establishment of village deliberative forums that are not merely ceremonial but have formal legitimacy and substantive capacity to influence the decision-making process. In addition, the role of non-state actors such as civil society organizations and local media is also strengthened as guardians of a critical and inclusive discourse space. The novelty of this study lies in its emphasis on the need for institutional pressure and coercion mechanisms to ensure that deliberative processes are consistently carried out. Thus, it is expected that policies will truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the citizens, especially in villages that have so far only been objects of policy, not subjects of policymaking.