BEYOND CENTRALISM: THE EVOLUTION AND CHALLENGES OF PARADIPLOMACY IN THE UNITARY STATES – A CASE STUDY OF INDONESIA

Authors

  • LUKMAN HAKIM
  • PURNAWAN DWIKORA NEGARA
  • SIRAJUDDIN
  • QATRUNNADA HAMPARAN MELATI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.17.1.21

Keywords:

Paradiplomacy, subnational governance, multilevel governance, actorness, decentralized diplomacy

Abstract

Paradiplomacy has emerged as a critical mechanism for subnational governments to engage internationally in response to globalization and decentralization. While extensively studied in federal systems, its dynamics within unitary states remain underexplored. This study examines the evolution and institutionalization of paradiplomacy in Indonesia through qualitative case studies of West Java Province and the City of Surabaya. Drawing on Kuznetsov’s multidimensional framework, complemented by theories of multilevel governance, actorness, and soft power, the analysis highlights how subnational actors navigate legal ambiguities, institutional constraints, and political centralization to assert agency in global governance. Findings reveal that leadership vision, institutional innovation, strategic networking, and adaptive governance strategies, rather than formal legal authority, drive successful paradiplomacy in Indonesia. Despite notable achievements, systemic challenges—such as fragmented coordination, legal uncertainty, and capacity limitations—constrain the full potential of subnational international engagement. This study expands paradiplomacy theory beyond federal contexts, emphasizing the importance of informal mechanisms, networked strategies, and alignment with national development agendas to enable subnational actors within centralized political systems.

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Author Biographies

LUKMAN HAKIM

Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Widyagama Malang (Indonesia). He earned his Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees in Law from Universitas Brawijaya and his Master’s degree from Universitas Padjadjaran. His academic expertise includes constitutional law, state institutional law, international law, and legal theory. He has led numerous nationally funded research projects and published extensively in reputable journals on constitutional reform, state commissions, and governance. He is also the author of several books on constitutional and state institutional law.

PURNAWAN DWIKORA NEGARA

Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Universitas Widyagama Malang (Indonesia). He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Jember and completed his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Law at Universitas Diponegoro. His teaching and research focus on environmental law, natural resources law, human rights law, spatial planning law, and socio-legal studies. He has conducted various research projects and community engagement programs related to environmental protection, legal reform, and cultural preservation.

SIRAJUDDIN

Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and Postgraduate Program of Universitas Widyagama Malang (Indonesia). He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Universitas Widyagama and completed his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Law at Universitas Brawijaya. His research interests include constitutional law, administrative law, legislative drafting, public policy, and judicial ethics. He has published numerous books and scholarly articles on constitutionalism, public governance, and legislative reform, and actively contributes to academic forums on state and administrative law in Indonesia.

QATRUNNADA HAMPARAN MELATI

MSc student in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Programme – MESPOM), studying at Central European University, Austria, the University of the Aegean, Greece, and Lund University, Sweden. She earned her Bachelor of Social Science from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan, majoring in Asia Pacific Studies. Her research interests focus on environmental justice, gender and environmental movements, sustainable development, and social conflicts arising from ecological transformation. She has been actively involved in environmental advocacy initiatives and youth-based gender equality movements (Indonesia).

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Published

2026-05-04

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026)

Section

ARTICLES