Poverty and Gender Relation: Developmentalism in 'Penderes dan Pengidep'

Abstract

Developmentalism emphasizes economic progress as an essential factor in improving social and political life. It has been implemented in Indonesia since New Order government and continued by Joko Widodo administration. However, is this ideology really able to improve the welfare of people equally? This paper aims to reveal the impact of developmentalism on rural communities through the documentary film ‘Penderes dan Pengidep’. It presents the life of peasant families in Purbalingga. Textual analysis method is done by taking data from dialogues between characters, daily activities, and spaces in the house depicted in the film. Furthermore, contextual analysis was carried out by conducting in-depth interviews with peasant and employees of nira cooperative in Purbalingga. This study shows that developmentalism does not reach the poor, as represented by the characters of this film. Due to poverty, women must play a dual role in the family, as a housewife and the second income earners. This study is expected to contribute to studies that focus on the micro-level of social issues, as found in the daily life of a family. In addition, it also augments to studies of anti-developmentalism films that are still rarely conducted.