Urban Youth Movement: Works of Young People in Reproducing
Knowledge of River- Kampong with Community
Siti Zunariyah and Akhmad Ramdhon
Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Keywords: Urban Youth, Social Movement, Kampungnesia, Reproducing Knowledge and River-Kampong.
Abstract: The condition of most rivers in Indonesia has been contaminated, including in Surakarta, Indonesia, due to
uncontrolled rubbish and liquid waste disposal. Kampungnesia is one of young communities caring about the
damaged condition of river and attempts to encourage the change through social urban youth movement. This
article aimed to explain how the social movement is motivated by Kampungnesia to realize the environment-
oriented river management. The theory used was resource mobilization one. The research method employed
was action research oriented to the real changing process. Kampungnesia social movement was conducted to
reproduce the citizens’ knowledge in the villages bordering directly on river with transect technique and
conducting focus group discussion to document their knowledge about river, kampong (village) and city.
Kampungnesia expanded the public support through publication in the form of documentary movies, profile
book of kampong and river, and module with tagline memetri kali (mantain river). Publication through social
media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and twitter is also conducted to make the knowledge on river
and village the collective knowledge, to invite the stakeholders, including executive, legislative, and citizens
surrounding river to develop collective agenda about an environment-river management. Capacity
reinforcement, education, and workshop of stakeholders were conducted as the form of action to improve the
community behavior about river.
1 INTRODUCTION
Currently youth populations in Indonesia reach 1.2
billion with age interval of 15-25 years having
strategic position as the agent of social change
(United Nation Population Report, 2015). In last few
years, social movement conducted by youth can
inspire and contribute positively the social
environment of society. Several studies have found
young people’s willingness to participate in an
environmental organization. Numerous studies have
shown that young people from highly educated
groups, feel a relatively strong affinity to the
environmental movement and regard environmental
problems as important
(Kriesi, 1989; Eckersley,
1989; Dunlap and Mertig, 1994; Rose, 1997). The
theme of environment becomes popular when there
are a number of damaged environment cases.
River in urban areas is damaged seriously and
becomes the main issue throughout world (Campana
et al., 2014). River degradation affects the circulation
of energy and earth material, as river is the host of
40% of world population (Jansky et al., 2004; Ching
and Mukherjee, 2015; Miao et al., 2016). One factor
causing river degradation is human pressure and
behavior to the river surrounding including
population growth and urbanization (Xianzhao and
Shanzhong 2011; Salazar et al., 2012; Zhao et al.,
2016). The Report of Republic of Indonesia’s Living
Environment and Forestry Ministry shows that in
2015, nearly 68% of river water quality in 33
provinces of Indonesia in heavily contaminated
status. The main sources of river pollution are
domestic and industrial wastes (National Geographic
Indonesia, 2016).
Surakarta, Indonesia is crossed by 4 rivers, but
their conditions are also contaminated. Surakarta
Living Environment Board notes that river water
contamination is found in almost all rivers in this city.
The condition of river water is found exceeding the
threshold of quality, being contaminated with e-coli
bacteria, thereby is not feasible to consume. The
participation of all stakeholders, including youths, is
required to reduce the river contamination level.
Kampungnesia as one of youth communities
caring about environment in Surakarta is motivated to
participate in maintaining river. Participation
conducted and planned systematically is embodied
308
Zunariyah, S. and Ramdhon, A.
Urban Youth Movement: Works of Young People in Reproducing Knowledge of River- Kampong with Community.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 2, pages 308-312
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

into the youth social movement to maintain river
since 2014. Social movement with this memetri kali
(maintain river) theme is a transformative learning
innovation for sociology students aiming to campaign
for the river damage issue as an environmental issue
in urban areas (Zunariyah dan Ramdhon, 2016). This
social movement exerts supporting sources such as
fund, pressure and organization attempt effectively.
This idea was developed into Resource Mobilization
(RM) theory by Edwardo Canel for sustainable
environment. This RM theory focuses on a unity of
process consisting of resource management decision,
organizational dynamics and political change that can
condition the realization of structural potency. Issue,
actor and constraint are needed in order to focus on
how the actors develop strategy and interact with their
environment to pursue their interest (Giugni et al.,
1999; McCarthy et al., 1977).
This article attempts to describe the dynamics of
social youth movement conducted by Kampungnesia
in encouraging the environment-friendly river
management. This social movement has uniqueness
as it uses campus as its base and works using
academic and transformative approaches. As an
academic and transformative approach,
environmental action aims engages youth in planning
and taking action on environmental issues they find
relevant. In addition to improving natural and built
environments, these experiences can help youth grow
as citizens because they involve authentic
participation in community issues (Hart, 2003; Jensen
and Schnack, 1997; McClaren and Hammond, 2005;
Stapp et al., 1996). Thus, this research will contribute
to the social movement innovation and the attempt of
developing social movement theory more broadly.
2 METHODS
This research was conducted on Kampungnesia that
has made social movement of maintaining river in
Surakarta Indonesia, since 2014. The social
movement studied focused on 3 kampongs (villages):
Kadipiro, Dadapsari and Karangasem in Surakarta,
Indonesia. Participatory Action Research (PAR)
approach was selected as the consequence of
transformative movement. PAR is the research
putting the community as subject participating
actively in social movement process existing. PAR
process consists of investigation, action and reflection
(Kemmis and McTaggart, 2005).
Investigation process was conducted in
participative manner through mapping process along
with the members of community (observation and in-
depth interview) or the process of producing
knowledge on problem, potency and need of people
living in the river bank. This process was then
discussed together in Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
to determine social movement action and strategy
agenda based on the result of mapping. Next, action
was taken by conducting movement along with the
members of community through knowledge
reproduction scheme in education, campaign and
workshop forms. This action involved not only those
living in river bank but also others stakeholders, and
expanded its support to some local areas. Reflection
and evaluation processes were conducted during
action and action processes thereby could result in
correction and improvement in the movement
strategy taken. Thus, this series of research can be
sustainable measures and the actors participated fully
in the process in order to make investigation and to
implement the action independently (Greenwood dan
Levin, 2007)
.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
History records that youth contributes considerably to
transformative social movement and becomes a
positive power to the changing attempt. A variety of
youth movement forms has been conducted
throughout world, from political, economic, race,
religion movement, and other civil rights (Chock,
2012).
Environment movement has long actually been
the concentration of some groups in many countries,
including Indonesia. Environment movement in
Indonesia began to enter into an agenda and a part of
social action in Indonesia in 1970s, and then
experienced reinforcement momentum in 1980s
(Suharko, 2006). Until today, environment movement
in Indonesia develops significantly over times. A
variety of environment movements appears in a
variety of areas in Indonesia. One type of community
flourishing and being the youths’ favorite in some
Indonesian cities is the one raising environmental
issue or commonly called Organisasi Pemuda
Lingkungan (Environment Youth Organization)
(Suharko, 2014).
One form of Environment Youth Organization in
Surakarta, Indonesia is Kampungnesia. This youth
community is a group of students caring about
environment issues particularly river, thereby is
encouraged to invite and to encourage all
stakeholders to maintain the contaminated river
together. Generally, this Kampungnesia movement is
divided into two stages: knowledge production and
knowledge reproduction.
Knowledge production stage is characterized with
the participative mapping process along with the
Urban Youth Movement: Works of Young People in Reproducing Knowledge of River- Kampong with Community
309

villagers and all stakeholders in 3 river bank villages
in Surakarta having specific issue: firstly, Kadipiro
with Kampung Iklim (climate village), secondly
Dadapsari with Kampung Siaga Bencana Berbasis
Masyarakat (Community-Based Disaster Alerted
village, thereafter called Kampung SIBAT), and
thirdly, Karangasem with Kampung Sungai (river
village) issues.
Mapping was conducted using transect walk
technique to get a comprehensive description about
physical condition of village and river existing in
individual villages (Mikkelsen, 1995). Actual
description of village and river condition can be
obtained and discussed, so that the result can be noted
and recorded thereby becoming village document.
Book of village and river profile, photo album of
village dynamics and documentary movie about
village and river are the output of knowledge
production by community members. A variety of
knowledge production forms becomes empirical
evidence to support the social movement process.
The mapping process will be published through
social media such as twitter, Facebook or Instagram
so that any information will be a broad knowledge
and a part of the attempt of obtaining public support.
Using social and other electronic media are
considered as more appropriate to the typical
character of youths (Ambrosi and Massoli, 2012).
New social movements both promote and exemplify
alternative lifestyles. In line with these ideas the
environmental movement may be seen as an
important arena for identity development (Melucci,
1996).
Knowledge production by community members
about village and river is important when the
knowledge source about village and river is
dominated by government. The authoritative
structure of knowledge will affect individuals’ social
practices in the way of thinking, speaking and acting
as a knowledge regime. A form of knowledge,
according to Foucault, is not an evolutionary
development over times, but a shift from one form of
knowledge to another authoritative form of
knowledge in certain period of time as a discourse
regime (Foucault, 1980).
The next stage is knowledge reproduction. In
this stage, the people of Dadapsari, Kadipiro and
Karangasem villages conduct an action of educating
children, adolescents and adults. The agenda of
environmental education is conducted through the
scheme of village exploration and painting
competition for children to grow their sense of
belonging and love to village and river in their area.
This stage becomes important to the attempt of
growing environment caring attitude earlier, so that in
the future they can contribute to maintaining village
and river surrounding.
Thematic workshop becomes the next agenda by
conducting knowledge exchange between villages.
Kampung iklim exchanges knowledge with Kampung
SIBAT, Kampung SIBAT exchanges knowledge with
Kampung Sungai and vice versa. This knowledge
exchange process aims to lead respective villages to
expand its idea of managing village and river to other
villages, so that the knowledge they have can be
possessed by other villages. As such, the villagers can
learn from each other and distribute knowledge about
the village and river management attempt broadly.
In this knowledge reproduction stage, the agent of
change lies on the villagers, while Kampungnesia
only facilitates every process and documents and
disseminates it through both printed and electronic
social media. This process is likely the part of an
attempt of positioning the members of community
independently and powerfully. It is in line with the
spirit of social movement putting the local actor to be
the leader of change (Chock, 2012).
The people’s knowledge on village and river is
then encouraged to be material of discussion
regarding government policy design. Therefore, the
people discuss with executive and legislative
stakeholders through Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
to map the river problem together and the solution to
it. Ego-sectoral and less synchronous policy between
work units of local officers make the existing policy
tend to run ineffectively. The support of policy to the
environment-friendly river management is very
desirable to approve the role, responsibility and duty
of each stakeholder clearly. These processes cannot
be done easily, so that collaborative attempt and
partnership between sectors and between local
governments should be supported continuously.
Collaboration will certainly make the stakeholders
view the problem as the opportunity of making
improvement and reformation based on collective
vision
(Koontz and Thomas, 2003).
Expanding the support to various parties for an
environment-oriented river is supported as well by
sharing experience with other areas. Through social
media disseminated previously, the experience of
organizing citizen becomes an important subject for
other areas. Therefore, Kampungnesia receives a
number of invitations from many communities and
society groups. A collection of students in Satya
Wacana Christian University of Salatiga and
Yogyakarta State University have invited
Kampungnesia to provide workshop on designing the
process of producing and reproduction knowledge
along with citizens.
A series of measures the Kampungnesia have
taken become a systematic and planned strategy to
evaluate any failure and success of social movement
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
310

attempt done. The attempt of producing the citizen’s
knowledge on village, river and city can be a means
of building citizen argumentation for the sustainable
development. Equipped with participative organized
knowledge, the citizens can take into account the risk
of action option for the river in their area. Thus, the
citizens’ attitude and view changing process
concerning the river can be improved in order to
realize the environment-oriented river management.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Kampungnesia youth community conducts social
movement systematically to change the non-
environment-oriented into the environment-oriented
river management. The attempt of encouraging the
change is taken by putting the people to be the actors
equipped with knowledge deriving from the people.
The knowledge production by citizens (people) can
give a representation about potency, need, problem
and expectation of people in the river bank.
Knowledge reproduction becomes a real action of
social movement to encourage the change in
managing village and river better. A variety of
people’s knowledge and the social movement process
are documented and published in many forms. Thus,
the attempt of obtaining public’s or other parties’
support can be expanded at both local and cross-area
scales. Therefore, social movement will obtain broad
benefit and impact particularly in sustainable
development agenda
REFERENCES
Ambrosi, L. D., Massoli, L., 2012. Bridging and bonding
connections beyond the web: youth movements and
civic engagement. Journal International Review of
Sociology RevueInnternationale de Sociologie.
Volume 22, 2012 - Issue 3.
Campana, D., Marchese E., Theule, J. I., Comit, F., 2014.
Channel degradation and restoration of an Alpine river
and related morphological changes. Geomorphology. p
230-240.
Ching, L., Mukherjee, M., 2015. Managing the socio-
ecology of very large rivers: collective choice rules in
IWRM narratives. Glob. Environ. Chang. 34, 172–184.
Chock, S. C., 2012. Youth and Social Movements: Key
Lessons for Allies, The Kinder and Braver World
Project: Research Series.
Dunlap, R., Mertig, A., 1994. Global Environmental
Concern: A Challenge to the Post-Materialism Thesis,
Tilburg University press. Tilburg.
Eckersley, R., 1989. Green politics and the new class:
Selfishness or virtue? Political studies. 2:205–223.
Foucault, M., 1980. Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews
and Other Writings, 1972-1977. Phanteon Books. New
York.
Giugni, M., McAdam, D., Tilly, C., 1999. Social
Movements, Protest, and Contention, University of
Minnesota Press Minneapolis, London.
Greenwood, D. J., Levin, M., 2007. Introduction to action
Research: Social Research for Social Change, Sage
Publication, London, UK.
Hart, P., 2003. Teachers' thinking in environmental
education: Consciousness and responsibility, Peter
Lang. New York.
Jansky, L., Pachova, N. I., Murakami, M., 2004. The
Danube: a case study of sharing international waters.
Global Environ. Change. 14, 39–49.
Jensen, B. B., Schnack, K., 1997. The action competence
approach in environmental education. Environmental
Education Research. 3(2), 163-178.
Kemmis, S., McTaggart, R., 2005. Participatory Action
Research: Communicative action and the public
sphere, Handbook of Qualitative Research, 3rd Ed.
Sage, Thousand Oaks, pp. 559–604.
Koontz, T. M., Thomas, C. W., 2006. What Do We Know
and Need to Know about the Environmental Outcomes
of Collaborative Management? Public Administration
Review.
Kriesi, H., 1989. New social movements and the new class
in the Netherlands. AmericanJournal of Peasant
Studies. 20: 389–419.
McCarthy, J. D., Zald, M. N., 1977. Resource mobilization
and social movements: A partial Theory. The American
Journal of Sociology. 82, 6 ,1212 -1241. The University
of chicago Press.
McClaren, M., Hammond, B., 2005. Integrating education
and action in environmental education, Cambridge
University Press. Cambridge.
Melucci, A., 1996. Youth, time and social movements.
Young – Nordic Journal of Youth
Research. 4 (2): 3–
14.
Miao, C., Dongxian, K., Jingwen, W., Qingyun D., 2016.
Functional degradation of the water–sediment
regulation scheme in the lower Yellow River: Spatial
and temporal analyses. Science of the Total
Environment. 551–552 (2016) 16–222016.
Mikkelsen, B., 1995. Methods fo Development Work and
Research: A Guide for Practitioners, Sage Publication
Inc.
National Geographic Indonesia, 2016. Air Sungai di
Indonesia Tercemar Berat (online) available at:
http://nationalgeographic.co.id/berita/2016/05/air-
sungai-di-indonesia-tercemar-berat.
Rose, F., 1997. Toward a class-cultural theory of social
movements: Reinterpreting new social movements.
Sociological forum. 12, 3: 461–494.
Salazar, C. G., Coll, M., Whitehead, H., 2012. River
Dolphins as indicator ecosystem degradation in large
tropical rivers. Ecological Indicators. 23 ,19-26.
Stapp, W. B., Wals, A., Stankorb, S. L., 1996.
Environmental education for empowerment: Action
Urban Youth Movement: Works of Young People in Reproducing Knowledge of River- Kampong with Community
311

Research and Community Problem Solving, Kendall
Hunt. Dubuque.
Suharko, 2006. Gerakan Sosial: Konsep, Strategi, Aktor,
Hambatan, dan tantangan Gerakan Sosial di
Indonesia, Averroes Press. Malang.
Suharko, 2014. Organisasi Pemuda Lingkungan di
Indonesia Pasca-Orde Baru, Gadjah Mada University
Press. Yogyakarta.
United Nation Population Report, 2015.
ww.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/world-
population-prospect-2015-revision.html.
Xianzhao, Shanzhong, Q., 2011. Wetlands environmental
degradation in the Yellow River Delta, Shandong
Province of China Liu. Procedia Environmental
Sciences. 11, 701 – 705.
Zhao, Y., Wang, S., Zhou, C., 2016. Understanding the
relation between urbanization and the eco-environment
in Shina’s Yangtze River Delta using an improved EKC
model and Coupling analysis. Science of the Total
Environment. 571, 862-875.
Zunariyah, S., Ramdhon, A., 2016. “Memetri Kali” as
Transformative Learning Media for Sociology Students
in order to care about Environmental issue.
Proceedings of The 4 UPI International Conference on
Technical and Vocational Education and training
(TVET 2016) Taylor and Francis Group, London. ISBN
978-1-138-05419-6.
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
312