Economic behaviour as a form of citizenship: Evidence from the Dayak, Malay, and Chinese communities in Sekadau District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21831/jc.v23i2.95054Keywords:
Chinese community, Dayak community, economic behaviors, economic citizenship, Malay communityAbstract
This study examines how cultural values shape economic behaviour as a practice of citizenship among the Dayak, Malay and Chinese communities of Sekadau Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Moving beyond reductionist and market-centred approaches, it treats economic activity not merely as rational financial action but as an expression of values, social responsibilities and civic commitments. Using a qualitative ethnographic-phenomenological design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 42 informants, ten months of field observation and document analysis. The findings show that local values, customary norms and social ethics guide economic behaviour in all three communities, producing a typology of cultural citizenship. The Dayak community practises communal citizenship grounded in customary solidarity and harmony with nature. The Malay community enacts ethical citizenship, integrating Islamic values, honesty and contentment into market conduct. The Chinese community demonstrates productive citizenship through disciplined family enterprise, trust-based networks and mutual assistance. Despite these differences, all three patterns foster civic consciousness, social participation and local economic stability. The study contributes to theories of economic citizenship by showing that citizenship is culturally embedded in everyday economic life and that diverse collective value systems can reinforce, rather than fragment, the national economic framework in multiethnic societies
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