Structure, Roles and Strength of Provincial Civil Society Networks Working Group as a Civic Political Mechanism

Abstract

This article aims to study the structure, roles and strength of Provincial Civil Society Networks Working Group in 2014, which was still working at that time. The study was conducted using a qualitative method to observe the network’s meetings and activities, focus group discussion, and in-depth interviews within the conceptual framework of Civil Society, Social Networks, Social Capital. The data was collected from the working group at the level of 6 provincial groups and provincial level including 15 provinces, during May-December 2014. This data analysis uses a content analysis method through understanding and interpreting from local mechanisms and operations compared to the concepts. The study showed that, the structure, roles and operations of the Working Group can serve as a political mechanism for the civil sector practically. It is a structured form that combines informal networking with a centrally defined formal structure according to the Soctates. The Working Group serves as an umbrella organization for each provincial sector to design a balance of collaboration on the capital base and characteristics in their local context in a networked manner. The strength of local capital and networked administration has also empowered the creation of a political space in its own term. Therefore, the suggestion from this study is that, it is necessary to develop a structural system to create a civil political mechanism at the practical level, such as applying the educational concept to create citizenship in recent days and establish a policy structure for the development of a civilian political mechanism at the operational level.