Muslim Ban during Trump’s Presidency through the Target Population Framework

One of the controversies that defined Donald Trump’s presidency was his travel ban policy, which targeted immigrants from many Muslim-majority countries in 2017. While researchers have analyzed the rhetoric, discourse, and indirect speech acts of President Trump and American politicians to fully understand the enforcement of the travel ban, the number of studies investigating how politicians utilize the social construction of immigrants to support or oppose the travel ban is limited. Hence, it is crucial to thoroughly study how political actors socially construct immigrants to justify their policy positions on the travel ban. In this article, we contextualize the travel ban policy within the literature on the social construction of target populations, one of the prominent theories of policy processes. To that end, we examine four types of data sources: legal documents, relevant tweets posted by politicians, think tank publications (op-eds, releases, and commentaries), and news articles published during the travel ban debates. In light of our analysis, we find that not only policymakers but also members of the judicial system, news media sources, and think tanks construct immigrant identities in a way that justifies their policy positions on the travel ban. Our findings underscore the need for a nuanced and well-rounded debate on travel restrictions concerning the reconstruction and reimagination of immigrant identities by various actors. We also contend that future research could greatly benefit from analyzing the social construction of immigrants by different policy actors in a comparative fashion

Fiscal Decentralization and Corruption: The Facts of Regional Autonomy Policies in Indonesia

Decentralization has posed new problems in Indonesian local governments, including disparities between regions, poor public services, fiscal indiscipline, and corruption cases. Before the implementation of regional autonomy, corruption cases were reported only in a few regions. A year after decentralization started, in 2002, more corruption cases were reported in more regions nationwide. The irony is that such decentralization, initiated to reduce corruption in the government, ended up with more corruption in the regions. This study investigates the relationship between fiscal decentralization—as proxied by capital expenditure and fiscal independence index—and the corruption index. This study also analyzes the macro factors and regional characteristics: inflation, civil servants’ salaries, education levels, and the differences in the corruption index at the regional level. The method used in this study is regression analysis by using panel data from longitudinal studies involving 15 cities in Indonesia in 2008, 2010, 2015, and 2017. The finding shows that the relationship of fiscal decentralization—expenditure, inflation rates, civil servants’ salaries, and local corruption—are not statistically significant to the corruption index. By contrast, the relationship between the fiscal independence index and educational level are statistically significant. The implementation of fiscal decentralization on expenditure increases corruption risks due to ineffective budget management, individual corrupt tendencies, and weak supervision system. Meanwhile, fair allocation of local income can increase public trust and prosperity and lower corruption risks

The Return of Media Diplomacy: Examples from Kosovo

After the Cold War, states focused their campaigns on self‐promotion on the global stage, so media diplomacy has been pushed to the periphery, hence not being a central research theme. However, the geopolitical clashes over Kosovo and the war in Ukraine have repositioned the role of media diplomacy in international politics. This paper aims to analyze Kosovo's media diplomacy in the following key moments: at the time of the declaration of independence (2008), and during the Russian aggression in Ukraine (2022). Data were collected from global media such as CNN, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and The New York Times, which have given space to Kosovo’s political actors and influential global politicians. The US president Bush was the example of the enormous media coverage in 2008. Messages of these communications were analyzed using the framing method. The results show that media diplomacy revived in three cases: before and after Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008, and again in 2022, with the fear that the Russian scenario for Ukraine would be followed by Serbia against Kosovo. Also, media diplomacy today establishes communications between countries with no diplomatic relations and even between countries with strained relationships

Strengthening Reintegration through Social Capital: Learning from Aceh, Indonesia

Following the conflict that prevailed from 1976 to 2005, a state of social disintegration persisted between former combatants of the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka - GAM (Free Aceh Movement) and the civil society in Aceh. This disintegration was typically fueled by the former GAM combatants’ militaristic and pragmatic mindsets, instability, and low economic well-being. Interestingly, former GAM combatants in Nisam Antara Subdistrict, North Aceh Regency, have managed to collaborate and coexist with local communities, exemplifying successful social reintegration that distinguishes them from their counterparts in other regions of Aceh. This article delves into the reality of social reintegration between former GAM combatants and the local populace, with a specific focus on the oil palm plantations managed by former GAM combatants. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach, and data was gathered through a combination of observations, in-depth interviews, document analyses, and focus group discussions. Key informants for this study included former GAM combatants, community and traditional leaders, plantation workers, and members of civil society. The study reveals that moral obligations within communities are guided by local wisdom, which acts as a form of social capital that fosters economic and social collaborations. Local wisdom serves as a social capital that nurtures the development of fraternity, mutual trust, cooperation, and solidarity. Moreover, it has the capacity to minimize differences and resentments, thereby promoting unity between former GAM combatants and local communities. This unity significantly contributes to the sustainability of peace in Aceh, Indonesia

Behind OPEC’s Invitation for Indonesia to Rejoin: An Analysis of Membership Dynamics in an International Organization

The membership structure matters to ensure a durable negotiating forum in an international organization. However, in July 2017, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, on behalf of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), requested Indonesia to reactivate its membership, which the country had suspended—for the second time—in November 2016. The first suspension was in January 2009—annulled in January 2016. The Government of Indonesia (GoI) then welcomed the invitation. This study aims to analyze OPEC’s membership scheme, which has given leeway to its members to send a request like the above. In-depth interviews were conducted with Indonesia’s representatives in OPEC to capture the organization’s internal condition. By analyzing the organization’s membership dynamics, we can identify three reasons behind Indonesia’s invitation to rejoin. The first is because OPEC’s country members need Indonesia’s presence in negotiations as they consider Indonesia neutral. Second, OPEC needs a country with a different attribute to strengthen the organization’s image of diversity on the international stage. The third reason is the historical elements. OPEC strives to maintain historically good relations with the GoI as the country has contributed to the organization’s development. For those reasons, an international organization might reinvite its former member to join the group

An Inclusive Social Health Insurance for People with Disabilities in Three Southeast Asia Countries: A Systematic Review

This article examines how inclusiveness is implemented for People with Disabilities (PWDs) in social health insurance programs in Southeast Asia by focusing on the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Indonesia, the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) in the Philippines, and Social Health Insurance (SHI) in Vietnam. The concept of inclusive social insurance for PWDs is used as an analytical tool to explore inclusivity criteria, such as target specifications, service benefits, multi-stakeholder involvement, service functions, and the program's impact. Drawing on the qualitative systematic review method, which refers to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), PRISMA Protocols 2015, and evidence-based guidelines, this article analyzes 25 selected pieces of literature. The results of the study show that: First, there are no special schemes and mechanisms in those programs that target PWDs directly and specifically. Second, those programs have not been able to meet the specific health needs of PWDs. Third, the implementation of those programs has involved three stakeholder actors: the state, the private sector, and NGOs. Fourth, those programs have not shown a significant impact on improving the health quality of PWDs. Finally, it can be concluded that the three programs are not yet truly inclusive in covering PWDs in social health insurance programs

Contested Access in the Failing Urban Culinary Tourism Planning: A Case of Bogor, Indonesia

This study explores the role of urban tourism planning at the national and regional levels in developing Indonesia’s culinary tourism destinations. Culinary destination tourism planning in Indonesia is under‐researched. This study aims to fill the gaps. Using the spatial triad analysis, this study explores the interrelatedness between the conceived-perceived-lived government planning activities in shaping culinary tourism destinations. Bogor City case was chosen because it has a higher culinary growth rate than other nearby cities. Bogor City analyzed in regional and national context. Based on the observations and the document studies, including text, promotion, publication, and document analysis, the research found that government culinary tourism planning has failed to develop culinary tourist destinations and attractions. The problem lies in the inconsistency between equivalent policies and the discontinuity between policy and implementation. The research findings indicate the governments lack of understanding of the subject matter and planning mechanisms. The culinary tourism planning activities have also created a classical contest of capital power. This research finding suggests the need for a better understanding of culinary tourism attractions and destinations and better planning mechanisms