Analyzing the Dynamics of Double Movement in Water Resource Conflicts: A Critical Examination of Umbul Gemulo Spring in Batu City

Raihan Rakha Dhiya Achmadinata, Adhi C. Fahadayna, Aswin Ariyanto Azis

Abstract


This study examines the resistance of Umbul Gemulo residents to the construction of The Rayja Hotel in Batu City, East Java, through the lens of Karl Polanyi's concept of the "double movement" and Jürgen Habermas's notion of the "public sphere." Employing qualitative methods, including field observation, interviews with key stakeholders, and document analysis, the research identifies how market liberalization, backed by state facilitation, attempted to commodify a vital water spring, triggering a countermovement led by the Forum Masyarakat Peduli Mata Air (FMPMA). The results reveal that the community not only mobilized collective protest but also strategically reclaimed public discourse through legal channels and civic alliances. The study concludes that this resistance exemplifies a dual process: defending socio-ecological entitlements and revitalizing deliberative democracy, thereby re-embedding market activities into a framework of environmental justice and cultural continuity.

Penelitian ini mengkaji bentuk perlawanan warga Umbul Gemulo terhadap pembangunan Hotel The Rayja di Kota Batu, Jawa Timur, melalui kerangka teori "gerakan ganda" (double movement) Karl Polanyi dan "ruang publik" Jürgen Habermas. Dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif berupa observasi lapangan, wawancara dengan aktor kunci, dan analisis dokumen. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa liberalisasi pasar yang difasilitasi oleh negara telah mendorong upaya komodifikasi sumber mata air yang vital, sehingga memicu gerakan balasan yang dipimpin oleh Forum Masyarakat Peduli Mata Air (FMPMA). Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa FMPMA tidak hanya memobilisasi aksi kolektif, tetapi juga secara strategis merebut kembali ruang diskursus publik melalui jalur hukum dan aliansi sipil. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa bentuk perlawanan yang dilakukan mencerminkan dua proses sekaligus, yakni adanya upaya untuk mempertahankan hak sosial-ekologis serta menghidupkan kembali demokrasi deliberatif, sehingga melekatkan kembali aktivitas pasar dalam kerangka keadilan lingkungan dan kelestarian budaya.




Keywords


Double Movement; Public Sphere; Water Commodification; Social Movement; and Environmental Justice

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31000/jgcs.v9i2.14630

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