From Disaster Response to the Political Stage: Disasters as Arenas for the Reproduction of Power Ahead of Elections
Keywords:
Disaster; Political trust; Political contestation; Public perception; Electoral preferencesAbstract
Disasters in Indonesia not only claim victims and damage infrastructure, but also have the potential to become a stage for the reproduction of power in the lead-up to elections. This study aims to analyze how post-disaster governance operates amid political contestation and how government actors and politicians frame policy responses in the public sphere. It also examines the dynamics of contestation that emerge during the response and recovery process and their impact on the configuration of legitimacy and political support. This research uses a qualitative case study design, based on limited observation and documentation of policies, official reports, and media coverage related to natural disasters in Indonesia. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 Plus. The main findings of this study indicate that post-disaster governance functions not only as an administrative mechanism for physical and social recovery but also as a political arena that influences legitimacy and the configuration of power in the lead-up to elections. Policy responses through bureaucratic coordination, aid distribution, and public communication are both produced and represented as symbols of performance and leadership, thus opening up space for practices of credit claiming, blame shifting, and the politicization of aid. Public perceptions of the speed, transparency, and fairness of distribution have also been shown to play a central role in shaping political trust and potential electoral preferences. In conclusion, disasters are crucial moments that can strengthen or weaken institutional legitimacy. In this context, post-disaster governance serves a dual function. First, it serves as a social and administrative recovery mechanism to address the physical impacts and community needs. Second, it serves as a political arena where legitimacy and public trust are formed, negotiated, and reproduced in the lead-up to elections.
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