Unmasking the social policy responses of COVID-19 in four Southeast Asian Nations: institutional patterns and policy adjustment

2023

Soc Policy Adm

Self Cite

This article sets out a coherent framework for debates and discussions on social policy changes during crisis periods. Using Indonesia as a case, this article compares its social policy responses to the 1997–1998 economic crisis and the current COVID‐19 pandemic crisis. Both two crises and their responses, once analysed, lead to an argument that path dependence does not always dominate policy processes, as most literature claims, but rather it operates alongside other path‐creation‐related processes, such as path‐clearing policy accelerators and path‐creation policy accelerators. This article also presents that ‘old player’ penetration in policy processes does not necessarily preclude alternatives and, in some examined cases, it, instead, strengthens impulses toward substantial reforms. Therefore, revised policies must be viewed as political vehicles for seeking popular support and power reconsolidation as democracy allows. Furthermore, this current analysis contributes to enhancing our understanding of crises, often seen as issues in public policy literature, yet less explored in terms of their importance as unique critical junctures and their implications for social policy changes in multiple paths.

Section: Covid‐19 Pandemic Responsementioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond path dependency: Analysing Indonesia's social policy responses to two crises

2023

Soc Policy Adm

Self Cite

“…The former idea is often associated with a broader distribution of social benefits, with a break with the past typical fragmented social policy and a move toward a more Western approach to social welfare. On the other hand, the proposal for the latter is based on the argument that the change represents a continuation of welfare productivism as a small spender on social protection–even in the wake of the crisis response to COVID‐19 (Yuda et al, 2022). Not least, informal networks, clientelism, and families significantly influence welfare provision in Indonesia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yuda and Pholpark (2022) and Yuda et al (2022) recently revised his argument and suggested that Indonesia and the Philippines might have “less effective developmental‐universalist” characteristics due to inadequate state intervention in mitigating individual risks. Accordingly, the authors concluded that the expansion of social policies had not resulted in a shift in welfare from a welfare productivist framework but instead formed a change within the subgroups of the productivist welfare regime.…”

Section: Positioning Indonesia Within the Asian Welfare Regime Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides leaning on implicit or explicit welfare productivism arguments, Indonesia has also been discussed based on the division of welfare distribution responsibilities between the state, family, market, and community (Croissant, 2004; Gough, 2004). However, confusion has persisted as some studies emphasized the recent tendency of Indonesian social policy to abandon the productivist path (see Aspinall, 2014; Murphy, 2019; Sumarto, 2017, 2020); whereas others rejected the hypothesis of a radical change in the Indonesian welfare model (London, 2018; Nurhayati, 2021; Rosser et al, 2018; Yuda et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bringing Indonesia into the global welfare regime debate: A literature review and future research agenda

Asian Soc Wrk & Pol Rev

Kühner²

2022

Self Cite

Since the publication of Esping-Andersen's (1990) The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, it has dominated comparative social policy debates and proved invaluable advances in developing a comprehensive framework for welfare state modeling. Despite some widely discussed limitations of Esping-Andersen's approach (Kühner, 2007;Scruggs & Allan, 2006), the welfare modeling business has been characterized by ongoing dynamism.With the expansion of welfare structures in many developing countries, additional welfare ideal types have been developed for interpreting underlying institutional structures and changes worldwide. The discussion of welfare regimes in Asia has gained increased attention (Aspalter, 2006;

“…Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has, in turn, increased the likelihood of individuals becoming more dependent on the family and family resources (i.e. re-familization); taking the opposite route to welfare states for defamilization (Yuda and Rezza, 2021; Yuda and Pholpark, 2022; Yuda et al. , 2022, forthcoming ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social insecurity and varieties of family resilience strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Munir

2022

IJSSP

PurposeThis study is aimed at developing an understanding of the consequences of the pandemic on families' socioeconomic resilience, and the strategies adopted by the families in overcoming social vulnerabilities amid uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThe materials for this study consist of semi-structured interviews with 21 families spread across the South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Families in the study represent four different income levels, namely very high, high, middle and low, and who also work in the informal sector. Each family has at least 1 or more members who fall into the vulnerable category (children, the elderly, people with disabilities unemployed or having potential economic vulnerability).FindingsTwo main findings are outlined. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, many of the families analyzed adopted similar strategies to remain resilient. Among the strategies are classifying the urgency of purchasing consumer goods based on financial capacity rather than needs, leveraging digital economic opportunities as alternative sources of income, utilizing more extensive informal networks and going into debt. Another interesting finding shows that the pandemic, to some extent, has saved poor families from social insecurity. This is supported by evidence showing that social distancing measures during the pandemic have reduced the intensity of sociocultural activities, which require invited community members to contribute financially. The reduction of sociocultural activities in the community has provided more potential savings for the poor.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, informants who provided information about their family conditions represent a major segment of the workforce and tend to be technologically savvy and younger, due to the use of Zoom as a platform for conducting interviews. Therefore, there may be a bias in the results. Another limitation is that since the interviewees were recommended by our social network in the fields, there is a risk of a distorted selection of participants.Originality/valueThis study offers insights that are critical in helping to analyze family patterns in developing countries in mitigating the risks and uncertainties caused by COVID-19. In addition, the literature on social policy and development could benefit from further research on COVID-19 as an alternative driver to identify mechanisms that could bring about change that would result in “security.” Critical questions and limitations of this study are presented at the end of the paper to be responded to as future research agenda.