Harnessing Social Capital for Holistic Rural Development: The Impact of Social Engineering in Bukit Lawang

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_7How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Social Engineering; Social Capital; Rural Development; Sustainable Tourism; Village Development Index

Abstract

This study investigates the strategic role of social engineering in enhancing social capital as a driver for holistic smart tourism village development. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research examines how structured programs and targeted interventions can reinforce social networks, mutual trust, and collaborative practices within rural communities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and document analysis, including Village Development Index (IPD) data. The findings indicate that the implementation of social engineering—such as tourism training, the formation of the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), and the revitalization of cultural festivals—successfully increased community participation and transformed the tradition of gotong royong (mutual cooperation) into productive collaboration. This strengthening of social capital is reflected in a significant increase in the Village Development Index (VDI), with gains in the economic (+24 points), environmental (+26 points), and political (+30 points) sectors. The results demonstrate that social engineering not only fosters stronger community cohesion but also catalyzes sustainable economic and ecological growth. In conclusion, the study provides empirical proof that social engineering serves as a vital mechanism for achieving integrated rural development. Beyond confirming its effectiveness, the research offers a practical, replicable framework for other villages seeking to build resilient tourism ecosystems and achieve long-term, inclusive progress.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Daniel Harapan Parlindungan Simanjuntak
AU  - Zanrison Naibaho
AU  - Cristho David Mangasi Siregar
AU  - S. Elli Cahaya Nurani
AU  - Eva Solina Gultom
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/12
TI  - Harnessing Social Capital for Holistic Rural Development: The Impact of Social Engineering in Bukit Lawang
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (ICSSIS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 71
EP  - 85
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_7
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_7
ID  - Simanjuntak2025
ER  -