• Authors: Muhammad Dudi Hari Saputra
  
• From: Graduate School Universitas Gadjah Mada

Abstract:

Many leaders and scholars assert that democracy is the most advanced system of governance – capable of creating harmony between a government and its citizens. Democracy empowers citizens with the right to vote on who they judge would become their best future leaders. In this way people maintain influence in determining government policy. However, sometimes democracy can be misleading, especially in developing countries like Indonesia. Indonesia adopted a direct election system after the reformation movement began in 1998. Indonesians held rallies and demonstrations protesting former president Soeharto?s New Order regime. After the fall of Soeharto, Indonesia?s democracy was improperly defined, leading to the misinterpretation that democracy is in the best interests of a select group of people, and is less concerned with seeking the truth. On the other hands, The US has made democracy its tool to achieving its superpower status. ?Promoting democracy is the strategy adopted by leading Western states and institutions, particularly the US, to use instruments of foreign and economic policy to spread liberal values.? (Bayliss, 2008: 579). Democracy is only one part of liberalism. Liberalism itself is an optimistic approach to global politics based on support of human rights, free trade, and democracy. It focuses on individuals rather than states (Mansbach, 2008: 19), but the US has implemented liberalism in a very flexible manner. In some cases the US has used democracy as a perquisite for diplomacy and cooperation with other nation states. Democracy is always a principle part of US interaction with other nation states, including nations like Egypt, Iraq and Myanmar. With this approach, the US justifies policies aimed at forcing other states to liberalize trade (Naomi Klein: 2007). read more

• Authors: Amalia Nurma Dewi
  
• From: Independent Scholar
  

Abstract:

We need to know our responsibilities and rights, so that we can play our role in society and live meaningful lives. To fully understand our responsibilities and our rights we need information. Information is essential for each component of citizenship or through information, governance distributes power and rights to citizen in order to conduct good governance. It has consequences in transparency – citizen must have knowledge about the governance, it is not just the governance which must have knowledge about the citizen. Furthermore, good governance involves distribution of information for every citizen, not just single collective groups. No groups should be neglected. In Indonesia the General Elections Commission has the responsibility to hold general elections, and it has signed an agreement with The Indonesian Parliamentary Center. The agreement says that KPU will be committed to apply The Public Information Disclosure Act to their services, but on the presidential elections of 2014 six organizations representing the blind community held a conference in Gedung Menggugat Indonesia to focus on the lack of clarity of information and socialization of the blind citizens in relation to the presidential elections. On the conference KPU was accused of discriminating the blind citizen, not giving them sufficient information, and thereby, violating their political rights. In the following we will analyze some weaknesses within The Public Information Disclosure Act itself and the implementation of the act by the KPU, and then, secondly, we will analyze the implementation of the act in relation to the concept of good governance. read more

• Authors: Rika Harini
  
• From: Population Studies Program, Graduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada
  

Abstract:

Food security is a global issue. FAO studies show 925 million people worldwide hunger. Population growth, land conversion, reduction of investment and low agricultural technology led to agricultural production is not optimal and inhibition of food security. The purpose of the study was to determine the long-term food security optimization model-based environment, while specifically determine the suitability of food security and agricultural land. Food security in question is the level of food sufficiency. Environmental base in research focused on the physical and socio-economic variables. Physical variables include the shape of the land, land use, slope, soil and climate. Socioeconomic variables include production (rice, maize and potatoes), resident. Physical and socio-economic variables obtained from secondary data (CBS, BIG and BMKG) and primary (interviews and surveys). The location determined by purposive sampling research on volcanic slopes of Merapi. The research sample is based on land units of the overlay form of land, land use and slope. Analysis of basic physical research analysed with GIS and survey the field while the social economy through quantitative analysis of food adequacy calculation. The analysis showed that the suitability of land on the slopes of Merapi volcanic included in the category suitable (S1, S2 and S3) and the level of food sufficiency in the category of surplus unless the District Mlati and Depok. This is because the two districts located on the outskirts of Yogyakarta city with a high population and a low amount of agricultural land. However, food security in all regions is optimized by minimizing the bias is still a limiting factor that increases food security by increasing the number of production. read more

• Authors: Luhung Achmad Perguna
  
• From: Department of Sociology, Universitas Negeri Malang
  

Abstract:

Variety of problems faced by many elders, from health, social till economic issues. At the micro level, some of elderly experiences social dislocation, disorientation of life as a result of loss of attention or a job. In the others experience powerlessness, loneliness, meaninglessness or post power syndrome after retirement from job. The position of the elderly is still considered to be a burden and not an asset. Elderly society requires interaction and socialization with the general public. Public space becomes a necessity. One of the public spaces that have been long-standing and friendly for the Elderly is “Pondok Sepuh” located in Payaman Magelang. This article discusses the friendly and comfortable public spaces for the elderly so that the elderly can be life happily. This research aims to assess and determine the role of Pondok Sepuh as a comfortable and friendly Public Space for the elderly. This study uses naturalistic approach with depth interviews as a method of data collection. The research informants were determined through purposive methods among the elders. The findings show that Pondok Sepuh is a comfortable and friendly public space for the elderly. The principle of independence, equality and freedom took place in this pondok sepuh. Interaction and socialization with their peer groups increasingly their existence. read more