Beyond Familial Ties

Kurniawati Hastuti DEWI 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2012 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 학술대회자료집 Vol.2012 No.10

It is believed that 'familial ties', namely relationships with the influential and prominent male politicians in their family (husbands, fathers) considered influential factor of women to assume political leadership in Asia. However, examining two cases of Javanese Muslim women leaders, Siti Qomariyah who won the direct local head election in Pekalongan (2006), and Rustriningsih who won the direct local head election in Kebumen (2005) and in Central Java (2008), this paper reveals contrary feature, that familial ties is not the dominant factor to explain these women's political rise. I argue that these Muslim women political leaders' ability to play gender and the idea and practice of Islamic piety is decisive in their political victory. This paper is drawn primarily from in-depth interviews with these two women leaders, as well as, with more than one hundred related respondents during fieldworks from June to August 2009, and January to February 2010. This paper shows that, rather than challenging the established gender norm, these Muslim women used and exemplify the gender norm (as an ideal Javanese Muslim women) in various ways to attract political sympathy. During the election campaign, they strategically embraced, played with or even manipulated the idea and practice of Islamic piety which enabled them to expand political bases, increase popularity, and acceptability among the majority of Muslim-based voters in the direct local head elections. By doing so, this paper does not only present Muslim women leaders' creativity to gain political leadership beyond the familial ties feature, but also provides a new understanding of the strategic role of gender, and the idea/practice of Islamic piety in Indonesia;s local politics of which to revise the earlier scholars' finding.

Beyond ‘Moral Capital’

Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2017 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 학술대회자료집 Vol.2017 No.1

This paper explores the stories of four female Javanese Muslim political leaders in playing the idea of piety and sexuality in their private life and political strategy beyond the existing notion of moral capital. This research reveals that the idea of Islamic piety, such as donning the veil to show modesty within the increasing engagement of Indonesian society in Islamisation in post-Suharto Indonesia, has been prominent. Donning the veil does not only signify their Islamic modernity, but, more importantly, it also provides comfortable spaces to manoeuvring in the public sphere. This research shows that the discourses and practices of sexuality centralising on heterosexuality norms have predominantly shaped society’s expectation and are used in political campaigns. Rather than challenging the gender normative standard positioning males or husbands as the family head, all of them choose to manoeuvre or negotiate with the existing formal and informal structures of patriarchy for wider participation in the public sphere. The Western notion of the public sphere is not accurate to view the situation of Indonesian Muslim women.

Roles and voices of farmers in the “special purpose” forest area in Indonesia : Strengthening gender responsive policy

Kurniawati Hastuti DEWI,Sandy Nur Ikfal RAHARJO,DESMIWATI,Kresno Agus HENDARTO,Aam AMINAH,Tri Astuti WISUDAYATI,Hasan ROYANI,Anggi Dian Safitri HASIBUAN,Dian Ratna SARI Asian Center for Women's Studies : Ewha Womans Uni 2020 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.26 No.4

Using the Harvard Analytical Framework (HAF), we analyze the role of farmers (male and female) in the Special Purpose Forest Area of Parungpanjang, Indonesia. Primary data for this study were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with male and female farmers at the research site in September 2019. This shows that female farmers participate in all dimensions of productive, reproductive, and socio-political activities, including aspects of control, while male farmers tend to limit their participation only to productive and socio-political activities. It confirms the findings of earlier research that there is no significant gender difference between the roles of female and male farmers in terms of natural resource management and control in Southeast Asia. However, one problem remains: the Special Purpose Forest Area of Parungpanjang has not given official registration rights to female farmers. By presenting their voices, we suggest the need for the strengthening of gender-responsive policies such as granting registration rights to female farmers to access and use land and conduct gender awareness programs among male farmers. Dengan menggunakan Kerangka Analisis Harvard, kami menganalisis peran para petani (laki laki dan perempuan) di Kawasan Hutan dengan Tujuan Khusus Parungpanjang, Indonesia. Data primer dikumpulkan melalui wawancara dan diskusi kelompok terpumpun dengan para petani laki-laki dan perempuan di lokasi penelitian pada September 2019. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahwa petani perempuan berpartisipasi pada semua dimensi kegiatan produktif, reproduktif, dan sosio-politik, termasuk juga aspek kontrol, sementara petani laki-laki cenderung membatasi partisipasi mereka pada kegiatan produktif dan sosio-politik saja. Hal ini mengonfirmasi temuan penelitian-penelitian sebelumnya bahwa tidak ada perbedaan peran gender yang signifikan antara petani laki-laki dan perempuan dalam pengelolaan sumber daya alam di Asia Tenggara. Meskipun demikian, masih ada masalah yaitu Kawasan Hutan dengan Tujuan Khusus Parungpanjang belum memberikan hak pendaftaran kepada para petani perempuan. Dengan menyajikan suara para petani perempuan, kajian ini mendorong penguatan kebijakan responsif gender seperti pemberian hak pendaftaran kepada para petani perempuan untuk mengakses dan mengelola lahan, serta pelaksanaan program penyadaran gender untuk para petani laki-laki.

Piety and Sexuality in a Public Sphere: Experiences of Javanese Muslim Women’s Political Leadership

Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2017 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.23 No.3

“Familial ties,” “political dynasties” and “moral capital” are some factors previously believed to explain female leadership in Asia. However, these are no longer sufficient to understand the rise of Muslim women in Indonesian politics, surrounded by the third wave of Islamization and globalization in the 21st century. This paper analyses competing ideas of Islamic piety and sexuality behind the rise of Muslim women in Indonesian local politics. It explores the stories of four female Javanese Muslim political leaders in using ideas of gender, piety and sexuality in private life and as political strategy. This paper reveals that the idea of Islamic piety, such as wearing the veil to show modesty within the increasing engagement of Indonesian society with Islamization has been prominent. Donning the veil not only signifies their Islamic modernity, it also provides comfortable spaces for manoeuvre in the public sphere. The discourses and practices of sexuality focusing on heterosexual norms have been predominant in shaping societal expectations and are used in political campaigns. This paper sees that the gender normative standard that stipulates appropriate positions and roles of women and men in Javanese society and politics has changed, in favor of greater participation by Muslim women in the public sphere.

The city, PKK leaders, and women’s empowerment

Kurniawati Hastuti DEWI Asian Center for Women's Studies : Ewha Womans Uni 2023 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.29 No.1

This paper examines the strategic roles of leaders of state-organized women’s groups of the Pemberdayaan dan Kesejahteraan Keluarga (Family Welfare and Empowerment or PKK), in the development of Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak (Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces or RPTRA) in the province of Jakarta, Indonesia. This is a qualitative study undertaken via in-depth interviews with PKK leaders and relevant officials. It is also based on observations I made of RPTRA Mutiara and RPTRA Serdang Baru in Central Jakarta, between 2019 and 2022. I found that the PKK leaders have been able to influence the design of the RPTRA that are now equipped with lactation rooms that enable women to move outside and participate more easily in public spaces. These have promoted women’s empowerment, group formation and collective action and have focused on bringing women’s interests into the initial design of the RPTRA. This paper suggests that while “State Ibuism” continues to be an important concept, PKK leaders are showing signs of adopting new ideologies and practices that indicate progressive feminist thinking and directions that are important and need to be studied.

“Dia Dikader”: Women’s NGOs roles, networks, and the agency of women’s legislative candidates in West Sumatra

Kurniawati Hastuti DEWI,Ade LATIFA,Nur Iman SUBONO,Wahyu PRASETYAWAN,Ari Purwanto Sarwo PRASOJO Asian Center for Women's Studies : Ewha Womans Uni 2023 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.29 No.4

Penelitian sebelumnya mengenai keterwakilan perempuan di parlemen Indonesia pada Pemilu 2019 mengidentifikasi dua strategi yang umum digunakan calon legislatif perempuan untuk meraih kemenangan. Strategi ini mencakup pertama, dengan memanfaatkan jaringan perempuan untuk memobilisasi dukungan, dan kedua, mengandalkan dinasti politik terpusat pada kekuasaan laki-laki. Tulisan ini ingin memberikan kontribusi baru terhadap kajian yang sudah ada dengan menunjukkan pentingnya peran Ornop (Organisasi Non-Pemerintah) perempuan dalam menyuplai dan mempersiapkan calon legislatif perempuan, melalui kasus pemilihan anggota DPRD Provinsi Sumatera Barat pada Pemilu tahun 2019. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif yang bersumber dari wawancara mendalam terhadap calon legislatif perempuan di DPRD Provinsi Sumatra Barat serta aktivis perempuan dan observasi terhadap mereka. Tulisan ini mengungkapkan bahwa kemunculan caleg perempuan di Sumatera Barat telah dipersiapkan (“dikader”) oleh Ornop perempuan seperti Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia Sumatra Barat dan Wanita Islam Sumatra Barat. Ornop perempuan ini mempunyai peran penting dalam mendukung terpilihnya kandidat perempuan dengan memberikan pelatihan politik, konsultasi, dukungan moral, dan akses terhadap jaringan perempuan. Kepercayaan Ornop perempuan terhadap para kandidat perempuan ini berasal dari interaksi sosio-politik jangka panjang di antara mereka. Hal ini juga menunjukkan bahwa kandidat perempuan memainkan peran aktif karena mereka mampu memanfaatkan dukungan Ornop perempuan dan menggunakan jaringan perempuan untuk menjangkau pemilih. Previous research, on the representation of women in the Indonesian parliament in the 2019 General Election, identifies two common strategies used by women legislative candidates to win. One is to draw on women’s networks to mobilize support and the other is to rely on the dynastic power. This paper contributes to existing studies by exploring the vital role of women NGOs in supplying and preparing women’s legislative candidates through a case study of the West Sumatra Provincial Parliament in the 2019 General Election. Qualitative research methods were used for this research, drawing on in-depth interviews with women legislative candidates of West Sumatra Provincial Parliament and women activists. This paper reveals that the rise of women candidates in West Sumatra was “prepared” (dikader)by women’s NGOs, namely Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia of West Sumatra and Wanita Islam of West Sumatra. These women NGOs have played an important role in getting women elected by providing political training, consultation, moral support, and access to women’s networks. Women NGOs’ support for these women candidates arose from their long-term socio-political relationship. This research has also revealed that the women candidates exercised a great deal of agency in reaching the voters through these women’s NGOs and networks.

Chinese Indonesian Women in Local Politics: The Political Rise of Tjhai Chui Mie in Singkawang

Kurniawati Hastuti Dewi 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2019 Asian Women Vol.35 No.2

This paper analyzes the rise of Tjhai Chui Mie (TCM) as the first Chinese Indonesian woman elected as a political leader in Indonesian history. TCM won a direct local election in February 2017 and become the Mayor of Singkawang (2017–2022). Employing a qualitative research utilizing a feminist research methodology, this paper reveals complex interactions between ethnicity, politics, and gender. It strengthens the findings of previous scholarly works that highlighted the continuing relevance of ethnic politics or ethnic identity in contests for local executive power, especially in West Kalimantan. It shows the interplay of ethnic identity and a shift in ethnic power sharing in Singkawang, which previously occurred mainly between Dayaks and Malays, but now takes place between Chinese and Malays, which also accompanied by playing pratronage factor in it. It also sheds light on a positive gender narrative of Chinese Indonesian women in Singkawang. TCM, who has strong individual and social capital of networks, becomes a subject capable of influencing and shaping the dynamic of local politics, as compared to a dominant and negative narrative of Chinese Indonesian women in Singkawang that often associates them with the issue of mail-order brides. TCM’s case indicates that it is no longer appropriate to position Chinese Indonesian women as peripheral as they now have the same chances and potential as other Indonesian women to use ethnicity or gender to compete in local political contests. From a broader point of view, this paper contributes significantly to filling in the picture of Indonesian women’s varied experiences and roles in shaping local democracy in post-reformasi Indonesia, and promotes a non-andocentric perspective on politics.