Some social-anthropological observations on gotong rojong practices in two villages of Central Java

One of the most important, and at the same time most abused, terms in the Indonesian language is gotong rojong. Originally its usage was confined to the village sphere of Indonesian society, but during the past decade it has aquired an increasing currency among Indonesian political leaders and economic planners concerned with national problems. More and more frequently it has been employed in the formulation of prescriptions for social and political relationships transcending the village level. In most cases, its usage, whether pertaining to activity at the village or national level, has been vague and certainly varied, few writers (scholars or political leaders) pausing to give it anything approaching a clear definition., Where it has been defined, this has all too often been largely in terms of ideological requirements rather than reflecting the actual practices, such as those that Dr. Koentjaraningrat describes. This is one of the very few studies of this important process in Indonesian society to be based upon careful field research, an investigation undertaken by Dr. Koentjaraningrat in Central Java in 1958 and 1959. Publication of his monograph reflects the Cornell Modern Indonesia Project's interest in the considerable changes that have taken place at the village level in Indonesia as a consequence of the impact of three and a half years of Japanese occupation, four years of struggle for independence, and the subsequent decade of rapid social, economic, and political movement. We feel that Dr. Koentjaraningrat's study is a significant addition to the all too meager store of data based upon actual field work at the village level in the post-war period

Impact of culture towards disaster risk reduction

Number of natural disasters has risen sharply worldwide making the risk of disasters a global concern. These disasters have created significant losses and damages to humans, economy and society. Despite the losses and damages created by disasters, some individuals and communities do not attached much significance to natural disasters. Risk perception towards a disaster not only depends on the danger it could create but also the behaviour of the communities and individuals that is governed by their culture. Within this context, this study examines the relationship between culture and disaster risk reduction (DRR). A comprehensive literature review is used for the study to evaluate culture, its components and to analyse a series of case studies related to disaster risk. It was evident from the study that in some situations, culture has become a factor for the survival of the communities from disasters where as in some situations culture has acted as a barrier for effective DRR activities. The study suggests community based DRR activities as a mechanism to integrate with culture to effectively manage disaster risk

Indonesian adolescents’ experiences during pregnancy and early parenthood: a qualitative study

Background: This study explored Indonesian adolescents’ experiences of (premarital-conceived) pregnancy and early parenthood. The findings provide insight into participants’ journeys with a central thread of culture and religion running through them. Methods: Using an exploratory qualitative approach, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit 20 participants. Overall, 36 one-to-one, in-depth interviews were conducted. Data were thematically analyzed using an inductive approach and coauthors confirmed the credibility of the analytical process. Findings: Cultural and religious ideologies about premarital sex strongly influenced government policies, social practices and unwritten social ideology, norms, values and behavior. Pre-marital pregnancy was socially unacceptable. Access to education and work was limited. Participants were nurtured by their parents with emotional, financial and nutritional support if they complied to marry and adopt socially acceptable roles. Adolescent males overwhelmingly wanted to undertake their responsibilities whilst the distress for females was overwhelming. Spirituality provided participants a way to manage their distress, seek forgiveness and develop transformational self-belief. Conclusion: Indonesian adolescents and young parents’ experiences revealed the powerful influence of cultural and religion upon policy and social structure. The study shows a unique insight into the influence of spirituality and the compliant and nurturing behavior within a family structure

Traditional Cultures' Facing the Development of Agricultural Industries--A Preliminary Study of Culture Change in Irian Jaya

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