Sociology and Welfare Development

Samudrabiru – This book provides a thematic issues and challenges in the new era, sociology to develop human welfare. The main objective of the Sociology and Welfare Development is to present an integrated analysis of how the discipline of sociology can contribute to our wider understanding of the variety of welfare development issues, practices and institutions approachs, policies and philosophy wich exist in our society and countries. 

This explanatory chapters expected to examine and understand as well as offer choices for human beings in the dinamics world to build a human welfare.
This book depart from the point of view that sociology is as applied social science can contribute to the development of human life through many perspectives. The various theme have been selected are discussed from philosophy to policy models. Each chapter attempt to understand with a core idea namely welfare development.

In the first chapter, the main theme related to welfare development is regarding the global presence in knowledge body. In this chapter demonstrate that there have gap and differences between modern and spiritual concept of welfare development. Chapter two focus on poverty phenomena in Indonesia as a serious problem. 

Some have observed that poor family are marginalized and obtain small attention, while many also has seen that the problems are the policy makers. It has to recognized that some assistants and stimulus packages has given by government to the poor family. However, it has to recognized also that there were existed some problems regarding ineffective management, policy implementation, bureaucracy and corruption. 

Yet, all indicates that Indonesian government has taken a serious strategic action in order to struggle to eradicate poverty as well as eradication policy against chronic of corruption. Related with poverty phenomena, in the chapter nine, concern on historical and inherited problems such as the disabled people, the pursuit of full employment in urban areas and overstaffing in the public sector, were important causes for urban poverty. 

However, these historical problems did not result in serious poverty under the well planned economic system. The number of poor people inherited from the previous period was also relatively small.

In the third chapter focus on human geography and planning as part of human life. Sociologically, this study concludes that the relationships between two adjacent metropolitan centres are two geographical phenomena occurred in the Jakarta-Bandung Mega-Urban Region (JBMUR). However, a rapid urbanization process has also been occurring in the corridor area between both metropolitan centers. 

There are both direct and indirect relations between these two geographical phenomena which finally lead to the emergence of the Jakarta-Bandung mega-urban region. In the fourth chapter, that in addition, the struggle of urban poor communities in Malaysia for housing and land rights is closely related to the development and history of the country. After the British colonial period, Malaysia’s priority was to develop its economy by focusing on the manufacturing and export industry in urban areas. 

This resulted when people from rural areas migrating from village to the city, in search of opportunities and to fill the workforce demand. Most of the urban migrants would build their own house near the manufacturing factories, because the surrounding lands were unoccupied and unused. With hard work and their own resources they would clean the area (wilderness) and build houses; this would encourage the development in the area and hence they are known as urban pioneers.

In the fifth chapter the author analyzes the social-welfare fund called Baitul Mal wat Tamwil (BMT). The authors believe that BMT in particular and microfinance institutions in general is one of the social welfare movement, getting stronger if you see the development of BMT in Indonesia, as have been reported by Reuters. 

The growth of Islamic microfinance institutions (LKMS) in Indonesia is increasingly significant. The main objective of the micro and super micro which is generally being located in rural areas, LKMS transformed into a small people mover a tough economy. Currently, there are about three million customers who obtained financial assistant from micro LKMS or BMT.

Chapter six examines the environmental destruction of young generation to protect and conserve the natural environment. As such, the key actors in engaging youth participation in environmental action, be it the government, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) or the community, should address the multi-dimensional issues that are obstacles towards the involvement of the young and come up with strategies to develop a more intrinsically-motivated participation. 

Generally, environmental awareness among youth worldwide is at an adequate level but it is the translation into action that is still lacking. A review of the implementation strategies of current environmental action programs involving youth should be done by the respective organizers in order to create programs that are fun, hands-on and allows as well as entrusts youth to apply their environmental knowledge and personal skills to make key decisions for the future of then environment which they shall inherit from the present. 

Hence, there is a need to move beyond the present, traditional top-down institutionalized approach of implementing programs towards a more dynamic and flexible approach in which youth are viewed stakeholders, knowledge sharers and leaders, and not mere passive participants who carry out the aims dictated by the organizers.

Chapter seven concentrates on socio-cultural differences between hometown and destination areas of Indonesian migrant workers and the impact towards their health condition. It involves the differences physical environment, social, and culture. The differences of physical environment involve climate change as well as socio-culture between hometown (Peteuy Condong Village) and destination (Saudi Arabia). 

These differences influence towards the workers health condition related job. Social differences are related with social economic status between employers and workers, that impact to the mental depression of the workers. Culture differences are cultures differentiation between hometown and destination country. Arabian cultures are introvert and over protected. It emerge difficulties to access health services. 

While in the chapter eight, discuss specific theme about how to develop any rural community it can be achieve through the dissemination on the importance of education to all family members in the rural area. This method is expected to transform the communities towards appreciating education better. The recognition of society towards education only, is not enough to enhance the living standards. 

Yet, it should be incorporated a the positive attitudes of the rural community towards education as a strategy for improving life. At the same time, the delivery system of the education programs must be enhanced and it is all depend on the commitment of the school and teachers of the rural schools as well.

Finally, the last chapter focus on the incidences of child marriage are no longer pertinent only for less developed country; it actually happens extensively in different parts of the world. Due to psychological and biological immaturity, children are insufficiently mature to make an informed decision about a life partner. 

This book examines the welfare development issues in the broader “sociology of welfare development” perspective. It is compiled from travelers and knowledge experiences in international seminars, talks and forum of researchers, supervisions and other discussion with my PhD and Master students. 

That experiences, together with their personal values and interests extremely influence to all authors in this book. Personally, I hope that those who engage and read this book will obtain fruitful knowledge. All errors are the author’s responsibility.