Ideational Factors in the Paradiplomacy Activities of Indonesian Cities

Abstract

Indonesian local governments conduct paradiplomacy activities after the central government implements the regional autonomy regulation. Several cities in Indonesia have established cooperation with other cities in other countries, including nongovernment organizations. Economic factors such as trade and investment, and local development are the driving factors of this cooperation. However, ideational factors, such as identity, cultural similarity, and historical aspects, may influence the decision of Indonesian cities to conduct paradiplomacy. This study discusses ideational factors for explaining paradiplomacy activities in Indonesia and focuses on city identity by examining the sister city cooperation of Bandung and Surabaya. By adopting the constructivist perspective in international relations (IR), this study finds that personal identity (corporate and type identity of city) influences local governments’ selection of city partners and cooperation fields. However, corporate identity is the driving factor for a sister city, and the type identity becomes the identity that is projected, constructed, and strengthened in the activities of the sister city. Theoretically, this study supports the adoption of IR theories that mainly explain the behavior of the state to elucidate these sub-national actors’ behavior in their international activities.