Dynamics of Power and Local Democracy in the Perspective of Political Humanism, Studies in Regional Government.

Abstrak

This study examines the dynamics of power and local democracy through the lens of political humanism in Seruni Regency (pseudonym). It aims to explain how formal democratic institutions interact with informal power mechanisms and how these dynamics affect dignity and citizen agency. A qualitative approach was employed using an embedded single-case study design with process tracing, selected to capture relational and hidden governance practices. The research was conducted in Seruni Regency because it combines active democratic procedures with persistent concerns about agenda control and brokerage. Data were generated from semi-structured interviews with 30 participants (18 institutional respondents and 12 key informants) and supported by observation and document analysis; participants were purposively selected for their strategic involvement in planning, budgeting, oversight, service delivery, and civic monitoring. Findings show that local democracy is procedurally vibrant but substantively stratified: visible bargaining is accompanied by agenda filtering and preference shaping that normalize dependency and limit effective contestation. Humanistic outcomes are uneven, as capability expansion coexists with stigmatizing administrative encounters and discretionary gatekeeping. The study recommends strengthening agenda transparency, protecting dissent, and institutionalizing dignity-centered service standards.