Colloquium FRIAS Research Focus Southeast Asian Studies - Agus Suwignyo: Non-state welfare and citizenship institutions as elements of social alignment: A re-account of the transformation of gotong-royong, slametan and rapat warga in the Javanese society

Agus Suwignyo (Junior Fellow, History)

Since 1900 the nation-state formation in Indonesia has instigated state welfarism and citizenship that sets aside the role of non-state institutions as elements of social alignment or integration. The aim of the present research is to explore non-state welfare and citizenship institutions, the gotong royong, slametan and rapat warga, as elements of social alignment in the twentieth century Javanese society. In what patterns and trajectories did these non-state institutions transform? Why did such patterns and trajectories of transformation take place and in how far did they co-relate, contrast or coalesce with the (dis)course of modernization of the State? This research will be carried out in the nexus of welfare and citizenship framework using an anthropological history approach and archives as well as interviews as sources of data.