Participatory Village Governance and the Revitalization of Gotong Royong in Indonesia

Gotong royong (mutual cooperation) serves as the social capital underpinning rural community development in Indonesia. However, modernization, urbanization, and a growing individualistic orientation have led to a decline in gotong royong practices in many villages. This study aims to analyze the role of participatory governance in revitalizing gotong royong within village administration. Employing a qualitative approach with a multiple-case study design in Bungbulang District, Garut, the research explores the interplay between institutional capacity, facilitative leadership, inclusion dynamics (gender and youth), and external actor interventions. Informants included village government officials, the Village Consultative Body (BPD), community leaders, and representatives of women, youth, and NGOs. The findings indicate that the revitalization of gotong royong is driven by facilitative leadership, transparency, and inclusive deliberative spaces. However, the study also identifies the risk of state co-optation, where the formalization of gotong royong potentially erodes organic cooperation. The research produces a Social Capital Based Participatory Governance Model complete with a matrix of operational indicators and recommends a mixed-methods approach for future research across broader geographical areas.

participatory governance, mutual cooperation, village governance, social capital

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