Journal Politique

Generation Z Political Engagement in Tanzania (2022–2025): Consequences for Political Polarization and Social Cohesion

2026-07-31T02:25:00+00:00

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the emergence and consolidation of Generation Z (Gen Z) political engagement in Tanzania between 2022 and 2025, with particular attention to its implications for political polarization and social cohesion. As Tanzania’s youngest politically active generation, Gen Z has increasingly relied on digital platforms, informal networks, and issue-based activism to participate in political discourse and civic life. Drawing on qualitative document analysis, discourse analysis of social media content, policy statements, media reports, and relevant scholarly literature, the article explores the forms, dominant narratives, and broader societal implications of Gen Z political engagement. The study argues that Gen Z politics in Tanzania represents a significant transformation in patterns of political participation, characterized by digitally mediated activism, generational identity framing, and strong demands for accountability directed at political elites. While these developments have expanded political voice, civic awareness, and inclusion among young people, they have simultaneously intensified political polarization, heightened generational tensions, and contributed to the fragmentation of public discourse. The findings reveal a central paradox: Gen Z political engagement enhances democratic participation while at the same time posing challenges to social cohesion and deliberative politics. By situating the Tanzanian case within broader debates on youth politics and digital democracy in Africa, the article contributes both empirically and theoretically to scholarship on political socialization, digital public spheres, and social cohesion. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of inclusive institutional channels, digital civic education, and dialogue-oriented governance strategies to harness the democratic potential of Generation Z while mitigating its polarizing effects

Collaborative Governance Model Between Village Government and PT. Trion Indonesia Raya in Strengthening the Local Community Economy: A Case Study of Curahsawo Village

2026-08-01T09:00:56+00:00

Penelitian ini mengkaji praktik collaborative governance antara Pemerintah Desa Curahsawo dan PT Trion Indonesia Raya dalam memperkuat ekonomi masyarakat desa. Fokus penelitian mencakup bentuk kolaborasi, pembagian peran antaraktor, mekanisme interaksi, serta implikasinya terhadap dinamika ekonomi lokal. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dengan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi partisipatif, dan analisis dokumen terkait program kemitraan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kolaborasi berlangsung dalam kelembagaan yang integratif melalui interaksi berkelanjutan antara pemerintah desa, sektor swasta, dan masyarakat. Pemerintah desa berperan sebagai fasilitator dan penghubung kelembagaan, sedangkan PT Trion Indonesia Raya memberikan dukungan pendanaan, teknologi, dan akses pasar. Masyarakat berpartisipasi aktif dalam perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan evaluasi program. Kolaborasi didukung oleh komunikasi yang intensif, kepercayaan antaraktor, dan kepemimpinan adaptif sehingga mendorong peningkatan pendapatan masyarakat, perkembangan usaha mikro, perluasan akses pemasaran, serta penguatan kapasitas manajerial. Namun, masih terdapat tantangan berupa ketergantungan pada dukungan eksternal, perbedaan karakter organisasi, dan keterbatasan kapasitas sumber daya manusia. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa keberhasilan collaborative governance ditentukan oleh kualitas relasi sosial dan kapasitas kelembagaan yang menopang proses kolaborasi.

Dynamics of the Implementation of the Red and White Cooperative Program and Its Implications for Community Social Welfare: A Qualitative Study in Jrebeng Kulon Village, Probolinggo City

2026-08-01T18:41:43+00:00

This study analyzes the implementation of the Merah Putih Cooperative Program and its implications for social welfare in Jrebeng Kulon Village, Probolinggo City. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed to examine the policy implementation process using Edward III’s framework, which emphasizes communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis with purposively selected informants. The findings reveal that the program has not yet been implemented optimally. Policy communication remains inconsistent, limiting public understanding and participation. Resource constraints, including inadequate human resource capacity, financial capital, and infrastructure, have hindered the cooperative’s development. Although implementers demonstrate commitment, their efforts are constrained by limited innovation and adaptive capacity. In addition, weak coordination among stakeholders and fragmented governance mechanisms reduce implementation effectiveness. Despite these challenges, the program has improved community access to basic necessities and small-scale financial services, contributing to local social welfare. The findings underscore the interdependence of implementation variables and highlight the need for stronger institutional coordination, resource capacity, and policy communication to achieve sustainable social welfare outcomes.

The Empty Ballot Movement as a Form of Protest Voting in the 2024 Brebes Regency Regional Election

2026-08-03T02:07:44+00:00

The phenomenon of the empty ballot in the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) of Brebes Regency attracted significant public attention after receiving 341,407 votes (40.4%), while voter turnout reached only 58.27%, the lowest participation rate in Central Java. This study aims to describe the Empty Ballot Movement as a form of protest voting by employing a qualitative method involving 15 informants, consisting of the movement's leader, community leaders, volunteers, and residents. The findings reveal that the movement emerged as a response to dissatisfaction with local democracy, driven by three main factors: the dominance of oligarchic politics that produced a single-candidate election through the consolidation of political party support; the perception that the sole candidate represented a political dynasty due to connections with former officials previously implicated in corruption cases; and the proposed IDR 13,000 shallot price policy, which was perceived as harmful to farmers. The Empty Ballot Movement successfully garnered public sympathy and became a symbol of protest voting against political practices regarded as undemocratic.

Owning the Crisis Narrative: A Scoping Review of Media Ownership, Editorial Framing, and Democratic Accountability in the Global South

2026-08-06T04:45:32+00:00

Political crises increase public dependence on journalism while intensifying efforts by governments, parties, proprietors, and commercial actors to shape event interpretation. This scoping review examines how media ownership influences editorial framing during elections, protests, corruption controversies, geopolitical conflicts, and democratic transitions in the Global South, and considers the implications for democratic accountability. Following established scoping-review and PRISMA-ScR principles, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using terms related to media ownership, editorial production, framing, political crises, and developing or transitional democracies. Thirteen core studies were charted according to ownership configuration, mechanisms of influence, crisis frames, and accountability outcomes. The findings indicate that ownership effects are conditional rather than automatic. Politically affiliated, state-dependent, and concentrated media frequently emphasized stability, incumbent legitimacy, public order, and geopolitical alignment. Independent outlets more often foregrounded protest legitimacy, governance failure, accountability, and political change. Influence operated through owner pressure, centralized editorial control, funding dependence, resource allocation, regulatory weakness, professional risk, shared infrastructures, and organizational ideology. Foreign ownership sometimes protected editorial autonomy but could also encourage commercial depoliticization. The review proposes an integrated model linking ownership configuration, editorial influence, crisis framing, and democratic accountability.