Varieties of Local Universalism: Sectoral Adaptation of Social Policy in Decentralized South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Mizan Ikhlasul Rahman, Chairul Sa'roni, Muhamad Anshar Nur, Muhamad Saleh — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study aims to explain how universalism in social policy is adapted at the local level in South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, focusing on the circumstances, challenges, and gaps between the ideal of universalism and the realities on the ground. While universalism is increasingly recognized as a key principle supporting equal access, citizenship rights, and social solidarity, its application in fiscally decentralized systems remains underexplored. Using qualitative document analysis of planning documents, regulations, and reports from 13 cities and regencies, the study applies a heuristic analytical framework structured along policy content and policy process, informed by universalism literature, to systematically examine local adaptations across health, education, and social services. The findings reveal that local adaptations lead to different sectoral models: fragmented universalism in health, stratified universalism in education, and categorical universalism in social services, all deviating from the central government’s minimal service standards. These sectoral differences are further exacerbated by territorial fragmentation caused by fiscal decentralization without sufficient equalization mechanisms, which collectively undermine universal coverage. The study concludes that expanding coverage alone is insufficient, as policymakers must strengthen intergovernmental equalization mechanisms and improve sector-specific service quality to bridge the gap between policy goals and actual implementation.

Journal of Social Development Studies

Varieties of Local Universalism: Sectoral Adaptation of Social Policy in Decentralized South Kalimantan, Indonesia