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International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.22, 197-209
http://ijms.biopublisher.ca
197
Research Article Open Access
Pattern of Center Periphery Relationship in Small Islands: A Case Study in
Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia
Yety Rochwulaningsih
1
, Singgih Tri Sulistiyono
2
, Noor Naelil Masruroh
3
1. Magister Program of History, Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University; Centre for Asian Studies Diponegoro University; Lecturer of Development
Sociology, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
2. Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
3. Graduate Students of History, Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
Corresponding author email
International Journal of Marine Science, 2014, Vol.4, No.22 doi: 10.5376/ijms.2014.04.0022
Received: 04 Feb., 2014
Accepted: 06 Mar., 2014
Published: 15 Apr., 2014
Copyright
©
2014 Rochwulaningsih et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article:
Rochwulaningsih et al., 2014, Pattern of Center Periphery Relationship in Small Islands: A Case Study in Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia, International Journal
of Marine Science, Vol.4, No.22 197-209 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2014.04.0022)
Abstract
The main purpose of this article is to analyze the dynamic patterns of hegemonic centre-periphery relationship in a remote
islands (in this respect is Karimunjawa Islands) located at the Java Sea, Indonesia. Besides, this article also intends to study the extent
to which the advance of communication, information, and transportation technologies play the significance role in reducing
hegemonic relationships between the center and periphery. To study these issues, qualitative methods with socio-political and
eco-geographical approaches were applied. The research results suggest that a center-periphery relationship pattern exists in the small
island community of Karimunjawa Islands in which Karimunjawa island (the biggest island) has become a center and the smaller
islands such as Kemojan, Parang, Nyamuk and Genting Islands as the peripheral area. The formation of such a kind of relationship
pattern can be traced back to geographical characteristics and socio-historical events where political and economical domination as
well as cultural hegemony created an unequal relationship between the two. Meanwhile, the center-periphery relationship pattern has
been reduced after the peripheral community gained access to contemporary communication, information, and sea transportation
technologies. Conversely this situation has strengthened the integration among ethnic groups in the Karimunjawa Islands.
Keywords
Center-periphery relationship; Small islands; Dependency; Domination; Integration
1 Background and Issues
Globalization and its capitalism ideology enhance the
economic and political force of developed countries,
while subjecting the Third World or underdeveloped
countries into a cooperative and dependent mode
(Taylor, 1989). Such a condition could potentially
create an unequal and exploitative relationship. The
main purpose of this article is to analyze at a micro
level the phenomenon of hegemonic center-periphery
relationship patterns occuring between a complex of
small islands in the middle of the Java Sea located in
the Republic of Indonesia. The name of the islands is
Karimunjawa Islands. Within this complex of islands,
there is one island that has become a center, i.e.
Karimunjawa Island (Rochwulaningsih, 2011). This
article will focus on the role of transportation,
communication, technology, and economic growth in
reducing this unequal, hegemonic relationship
between the central region and the regions which are
considered as its periphery. One of the islands has
shown significant progress after having access to
advances in communications technology, information
and transportation (Rochwulaningsih, 2013). Meanwhile
this article will also analyze inter-ethnic relationship
in Karimunjawa as a consequence of diverse cultural
backgrounds.
This micro level study is very interesting if we compare
with the World System theory constructed by
Wallerstein, it suggest that globalization is a strategic
medium to improve welfare and economic prosperity
of the world community. Economically many countries
has Metropolis-Satellite networking system as
Centre-periphery pattern that will achieve progress and
prosperity through an exchange transaction in
accordance with each comparative advantage (Marina,
2013). Nevertheless, the theory was criticized by
Andre Gunder Frank, Paul Baran, Cardoso, through
dependency theory that has special attention to
underdevelopment countries. The theory is considered