The Use of Social Capital and the Victory of Female Representative Candidates in East Nusa Tenggara’s Regional Representative Body during the 2019 Elections

Abstract

This research is based on the success and feats of female legislative candidates in East Nusa Tenggara’s 2019 elections, despite the deeply-rooted patriarchal culture. The increase in female representation in East Nusa Tenggara’s Regional Representative Body heralds good news because the number increased from 9 to 12. This research assesses how four female representative successfully became legislative members using their social and moral capital. This research uses Robert Putnam’s social capital theory and Claudia Derichs’, Andrea Fleschenberg’s and Momoyo Hustebeck’s moral capital theory as the main theories. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study and in-depth interviews with the four female representatives. The principal findings of this research reveal that patriarchy contributed to the success and victory of these four female representative candidates, nothing that the men (husbands and fathers of these women) have social influence as a regional leaders, public figures, cultural figures, and religious figure. Furthermore, moral capital also plays a vital part because these women are role models and have honorable professions as teachers, lawyers, and/or activists that are deeply connected with the people.