Local Good Governance Sustainability: Roles of Civil Society in Surakarta City, Indonesia

Abstract

Civil society role is often seen as less powerful agent in forming or maintaining good governance than two dominant agents (state and private actors). This re-search is intended to have knowledge whether civil society can play important roles in forming and maintaining local good governance in Surakarta City, Indo-nesia. The main objective of this research is to find what kinds of innovations or roles conducted by civil society of Surakarta City to sustainably maintain local good governance. The research method occupies qualitative type which is best suitable to deeply discover processes or contexts behind the phenomena stud-ied. In depth interview, observation and FGD are used to collect data. Method of triangulation is also used to guarantee validity and reliability of data collected. Research results show that roles of civil society for sustainable local governance strongly take place in Surakarta city. The civil society (both formally and infor-mally associations or persons) in Surakarta city plays very pivotal roles in six sus-tainable elements, namely (1) by influencing policy analysis and advocacy; (2) by controlling regulations; (3) by monitoring local government actions and behav-ior of staff officials; (4) by enabling citizens to identify and articulate their values, beliefs, civic norms and democratic practices; (5) by mobilizing vulnerable and marginalized masses to participate more fully in politics and public affairs and finally (6) by establishing participatory development work to improve their own better life. Interestingly, there are two new factors found in the research in deter-mining the success of sustainability of local good governance practices in Surakarta, namely informal networking or communication and spirit of togeth-erness. The existence of civil society (especially the informal one) in Surakarta City is a strong pillar for sustainable local good governance practices. Maintaining this strong civil society role will make it possible to guarantee the future of the good governance in Surakarta City, Indonesia.