Policy network analysis and collaborative governance models in rural tourism development in Indonesia

Aos Kuswandi (Department of Government Studies, Universitas Islam 45, Indonesia)
Herman Lawelai (Department of Government Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Buton, Indonesia)
Zulfanida Nurul Sadiyyah (Department of Communication Science, Universitas Informatika dan Bisnis Indonesia, Indonesiaa)

Otoritas : Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan
Vol. 16 No. 2 (2026): August 2026

This study examines how policy network structures shape collaborative governance in rural tourism development in West Java, Indonesia. Responding to the weak integration of collaborative governance and policy network analysis, it proposes an asymmetric mediated collaboration model to explain why formal multi-actor participation remains government-centred. Using an explanatory qualitative case study, the research draws on 46 semi-structured interviews and 215 online media articles collected through Google News with the keywords “Pariwisata Desa” and “Jawa Barat.” Interview and media data were analyzed through thematic coding in NVivo 12 Plus, InfraNodus-based text-network mapping, actor-visibility analysis, and triangulation. The findings show that government actors dominate coordination and media visibility, while village governments and Pokdarwis remain central to implementation but peripheral in strategic decisions. Media operates as a discursive arena and governance mediator that amplifies official agendas. The study contributes by linking centrality, visibility, capacity distribution, and brokerage to collaboration quality. It recommends shared decision forums, village capacity-building, balanced media protocols, and clearer private-sector partnership mechanisms.