Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora

Decolonizing Bureaucracy in Papua: Indigenous Logics, Institutional Hybridity, and the Limits of Special Autonomy

Sarjito, Aris (Unknown)
Mursidi, Mursidi (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
09 Sep 2025

Abstract

Two decades after the implementation of Special Autonomy (Otsus), Papua remains one of Indonesia’s most underdeveloped regions. Although the policy introduced fiscal decentralization and recognized indigenous rights, it has failed to reform bureaucratic structures in ways that reflect local socio-cultural realities. This study explores the institutional disconnect between national administrative models and indigenous governance systems through a qualitative-descriptive analysis of secondary data. Findings show that the absence of structural integration, along with the symbolic role of bodies like the Majelis Rakyat Papua (MRP, undermines the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance. Meanwhile, customary logics based on restorative justice, consensus leadership, and clan-based redistribution remain active but excluded. The paper advocates a hybrid governance model that incorporates indigenous institutions as legitimate partners in public administration. Drawing from Melanesian practices and localized policy analysis, the study proposes a framework for partial institutional integration that balances formal state function with cultural legitimacy.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

jishum

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

JISHUM: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora [e-ISSN 2962-0120] | DOI 10.57248] is intended to develop itself as a pioneer journal in social sciences and humanities. Starting from the year 2022, it publishes all papers in English and Indonesian. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include Social ...