Discourse, power, and practice on rural poverty

Abstract

Poverty is analyzed together with complexity of mutual relations and influences between discourses. As power is integrated in every social interaction, the relationships among and between level of discourses and practices should be seen as power relations as well. Power operates in enabling surface of emergence discourse and practice of poverty reduction. In line with the emergence of a particular discourse, it also emerges the certain poor. The will to overcome poverty further directs power to operate, manage or eliminate the poor that has emerged. Efforts to reduce poverty in Indonesia has been shaped by a variety of discourse and practice of poverty, namely surplus sharing, poverty of race and ethnicity, desiring modesty, socialist poverty, potential of the poor, and poverty of production. This study also examines power to dominate others. War discourse and practice is always shaped relationship of actions and reactions that are difficult to stop. The victory of the discourse to actively interpret poverty is dynamic, because at the same time also emerged a reaction from other discourses and practices in the form of manipulation of interpretation.Thus the victory of the discourse and practice in this war is always delayed, not total and complete victory. In accordance with the nature of discourse that builds space for power, the stronger the poverty discourse develops, then the bodies of the poor more and more emerges. Consequently, expansion poverty domain –from individual domains to families, groups, small businessmen, and local government—will also grow number of poor to more and more parties. The next operation of power seeks will manage, reduce or eliminate the poor body. The body of the poor just keeps emerging and active in the discourse and practice of socialist poverty and potential of the poor. Through the power of solidarity point of view, only within the potential of the poor power operates to emerge the poor, developing habitus to believe the poor, and create fields for emergence and activity or movement of the poor body.

Penelitian ini hendak menjawab pertanyaan penelitian, yaitu, pertama, mengapa kekuasaan yang beroperasi belum mampu menanggulangi kemiskinan di pedesaan. Kedua, bagaimana kekuasaan beroperasi dengan membentuk dan mengelola beragam diskursus dan praktik kemiskinan di pedesaan. Ketiga, mengapa perang antar diskursus dan praktik kemiskinan berlangsung secara terus menerus. Penelitian ini juga memiliki tujuan yang ingin dicapai, yaitu, pertama, menginterpretasi kemunculan keragaman diskursus, strategi penggunaan kekuasaan, dan praktik pengelolaan kemiskinan di pedesaan. Kedua, menginterpretasi hubungan kekuasaan dalam perang antar diskursus dan praktik kemiskinan di pedesaan. Ketiga, memunculkan golongan miskin untuk menanggulangi kemiskinannya sendiri.