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Crisis Communication at the Local Level: Trust, Inequality, and Developmental Implications from Makassar’s COVID-19 Response
Corresponding Author(s) : Rozy Khadafi
Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan : Kajian Ilmu Pemerintahan dan Politik Daerah,
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025)
Abstract
This study examines the dynamics of crisis communication in Makassar during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the interaction between leadership visibility, digital information flows, policy clarity, and participatory practices. The urgency of this research lies in addressing how local governments in decentralized contexts manage communication when institutional trust is fragile and citizens face unequal access to information. Using a qualitative case study approach with triangulated interviews, documents, and media analysis, four major themes emerged: the symbolic centrality of mayoral leadership, the uneven reach of digital platforms, fragmentation and ambiguity in policy-related communication, and the critical role of local actors in building trust. The findings reveal that while mayoral visibility generated short-term reassurance, its effectiveness was limited by weak coordination across administrative layers. Similarly, reliance on digital platforms amplified inequalities, excluding marginalized populations from vital information. By contrast, neighborhood leaders, religious figures, and NGOs functioned as trusted intermediaries, translating official messages into socially resonant forms. Theoretically, this study contributes to crisis communication scholarship by demonstrating that effective communication requires more than symbolic authority or technological innovation; it depends on relational trust, procedural fairness, and hybrid infrastructures that integrate both formal and community-based channels.
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- Alshoaibi, M. (2021). Crisis Communication and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: An Analysis in Light of the Situation Crisis Communication Theory. The Scientific Journal of Public Relations and Advertising Research.
- Armawi, A. (2019). Nasionalisme dan Dinamika Ketahanan Nasional. Gadjah Mada University Press.
- Armawi, A., Danugroho, A., Apriliyanti, K., & Asrofi, A. (2022). Smart Environment Program ’ s Traffic Management to Achieve Semarang City Resilience. Journal of Governance and Public Policy.
- Beck, S., & Mahony, M. (2018). The IPCC and the new map of science and politics. In Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.547
- Burhannuddin, M. A., & Danugroho, A. (2021). Pesta Rakyat ditengah Krisis: Partisipasi Masyarakat Pada Pilkada Sebelum dan Pada Saat Pandemi Covid-19. PROCEEDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ON INDONESIAN FOREIGN POLICY CONFERENCE. https://doi.org/10.33005/irofonic.v1i1.18
- Byrne, D. (2022). A worked example of Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Quality and Quantity. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-021-01182-y
- Charoensukmongkol, P., & Phungsoonthorn, T. (2022). The Interaction Effect of Crisis Communication and Social Support on The Emotional Exhaustion of University Employees during the COVID-19 Crisis. International Journal of Business Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488420953188
- Coombs, W. T. (2022). Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). In The Handbook of Crisis Communication. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119678953.ch14
- Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. SAGE Publications.
- Danugroho, A. (2022a). Mengartikan Ketahanan Nasional. Pustaka Aksara.
- Danugroho, A. (2022b). Threats To Food Security in The Food and Energi Barn Area: Agricultural Land Function Change in Bojonegoro Regency. ARISTO, 10(2), 218–231. https://doi.org/10.24269/ars.v10i2.5056
- Danugroho, A., & Sa’adah, A. H. (2021). Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS) di tengah Pandemi Covid-19 dan Implementasinya Terhadap Ketahanan Ekonomi. PROCEEDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ON INDONESIAN FOREIGN POLICY CONFERENCE. https://doi.org/10.33005/irofonic.v1i1.10
- Danugroho, A., Umamah, N., Marjono, Sumardi, & Pratama, A. R. (2020). Aceh tsunami and government policy in handling it : a historical study a historical study. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 485. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/485/1/012140
- Danugroho, A., & Yusfira, F. (2023). Management Policy for Oil and Gas Sector of Bojonegoro Regency Government in Kang Yoto Era. TRANSFORMASI: Jurnal Manajemen Pemerintahan. https://doi.org/10.33701/jtp.v15i1.2510
- Ding, I. (2020). Performative Governance. World Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043887120000131
- Et.al, T. S. K. B. A. (2021). The Crisis Management and the Reputation of UAE Police: An Application Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT). https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i3.1327
- Fowler, L. (2022). Using the Multiple Streams Framework to Connect Policy Adoption to Implementation. Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.12381
- Fussell Sisco, H., Collins, E. L., & Zoch, L. M. (2010). Through the looking glass: A decade of Red Cross crisis response and situational crisis communication theory. Public Relations Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.08.018
- Ganter, E. (2018). Arguing about Indigenous administrative participation in the Whitlam era: A representation theory analysis. Australian Journal of Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12355
- Hardi, R., & Gohwong, S. (2020). E-Government Based Urban Governance on the Smart City Program in Makassar, Indonesia. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v1i1.10
- Hidayatullah, M. F. (2020). Actualization of KH. Abdurrahman Wahid’s (Gus Dur) Thought: Socio-Religious and Economic Education Perspective. Ta’dib : Jurnal Pendidikan Islam.
- Hidayatullah, T., Suliansyah, I., Swasti, E., & Putri, N. E. (2023). A Bibliometric Analysis of Hybrid Maize Research using VOSviewer. Jurnal Biologi Tropis, 23(1), 459–468. https://doi.org/10.29303/jbt.v23i1.4641
- Jackson, K. D., & Pye, L. W. (2023). Political Power and Communications in Indonesia. In Political Power and Communications in Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.2307/601235
- Keping, Y. (2018). Governance and Good Governance: A New Framework for Political Analysis. Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-017-0197-4
- Komarulzaman, A., Andoyo, R., Anna, Z., Ghina, A. A., Halim, P. R., Napitupulu, H., Karunia, M. R., & Andriani, A. (2023). Achieving zero stunting: a sustainable development goal interlinkage approach at district level. Sustainability, 15(11), 8890.
- Krajnović, A. (2018). Institutional Theory and Isomorphism: Limitations in Multinational Companies. Journal of Corporate Governance, Insurance, and Risk Management. https://doi.org/10.56578/jcgirm050101
- Kutlu-Abu, N., & Arslan, R. (2023). Evolving trend of media literacy research: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Media Literacy Education. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2023-15-1-7
- Latanna, M. D., Gunawan, B., Franco-García, M. L., & Bressers, H. (2023). Governance Assessment of Community-Based Waste Reduction Program in Makassar. Sustainability (Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914371
- Limphaibool, W., Buranapin, S., Jariangprasert, N., & Chaiprasit, K. (2022). Collective Mindfulness and Organizational Resilience in Times of Crisis. Change Management. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-798X/CGP/v22i02/49-60
- Macnamara, J. (2021). New insights into crisis communication from an “inside” emic perspective during COVID-19. Public Relations Inquiry. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X21999972
- Marsen, S. (2020). Navigating Crisis: The Role of Communication in Organizational Crisis. International Journal of Business Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488419882981
- Mokline, B., & Ben Abdallah, M. A. (2022). The Mechanisms of Collective Resilience in a Crisis Context: The Case of The ‘COVID-19’ Crisis. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40171-021-00293-7
- Mosley, P. (2012). Political violence, state instability, and poverty. In The Politics of Poverty Reduction. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199692125.003.0004
- Muchlis, Z. (2018). The Impacts of Elections on Economics in Indonesia. IJISH (International Journal of Islamic Studies and Humanities). https://doi.org/10.26555/ijish.v1i2.556
- Nik, V. M., & Moazami, A. (2021). Using collective intelligence to enhance demand flexibility and climate resilience in urban areas. Applied Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.116106
- Parahita, G. D. (2019). The Rise of Indonesian Feminist Activism on Social Media. Jurnal Komunikasi Ikatan Sarjana Komunikasi Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.25008/jkiski.v4i2.331
- Parkhurst, A. (2018). City and cosmology: genetics, health, and urban living in Dubai. Anthropology and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2017.1398815
- Peters, B. G. (2023). Good governance. In The Elgar Companion to the OECD. https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ilshs.21.132
- Petrosyan, A. (2019). The Features of Political Participation in Conditions of Information Society. WISDOM, 12(1), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.24234/wisdom.v12i1.238
- Pinto, R. Á. (2018). Digital sovereignty or digital colonialism? Sur.
- Puspitarini, R. (2019). Bureaucracy reform: open government partnership as a change strategy in Bojonegoro regency? Journal of Public Administration Studies, 4(2), 46–50.
- Ratang, S. (2016). Analysis of Financial Performance of Local Government Keerom Fiscal Year 2009 - 2013. Journal of Social and Development Sciences. https://doi.org/10.22610/jsds.v7i1.1227
- Ratner, B. D., Meinzen-Dick, R., May, C., & Haglund, E. (2013). Resource conflict, collective action, and resilience: An analytical framework. International Journal of the Commons. https://doi.org/10.18352/ijc.276
- Rosyid, M. (2023). Gerakan Adaptasi Politik Komunitas Samin di Kudus Jawa Tengah. Aceh Anthropological Journal. https://doi.org/10.29103/aaj.v7i2.12516
- Sarango-Lalangui, P., Rodríguez, J., Carreño, K. T., & Galarza, B. (2023). Evolution and Trends in SME Digitization Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Journal of Technology Management and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-27242023000100053
- Schweitzer, F., Zingg, C., & Casiraghi, G. (2024). Struggling With Change: The Fragile Resilience of Collectives. Perspectives on Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231192052
- Sijtsma, K., & Junker, B. W. (2006). Item Response Theory: Past Performance, Present Developments, and Future Expectations. Behaviormetrika. https://doi.org/10.2333/bhmk.33.75
- Situmorang, N. B., Thamrin, M. H., & Nadjib, A. (2021). Successful Approach Implementasi Talent Mapping: Studi pada PFA di BPKP. Matra Pembaruan. https://doi.org/10.21787/mp.5.1.2021.39-51
- Thompson, J. W. (2012). Coombs’ theory of data. Philosophy of Science.
- Tu, C. C., Chang, M. L., & Chiao, Y. C. (2023). Are we all in the same boat? Appropriate response strategies to collective CSR crises. Asia Pacific Journal of Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-021-09789-3
- Walters, G. D., & Bolger, P. C. (2019). Procedural justice perceptions, legitimacy beliefs, and compliance with the law: a meta-analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-018-9338-2
- Wirba, A. V. (2024). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Role of Government in promoting CSR. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01185-0
- Zaitul, Z., Ilona, D., & Novianti, N. (2023). Good Governance in Rural Local Administration. Administrative Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13010019
- Zhang, S. N., Ruan, W. Q., Li, Y. Q., & Xiao, H. (2024). Cultural distortion risks at heritage sites: Scale development and validation. Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104860
References
Alshoaibi, M. (2021). Crisis Communication and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: An Analysis in Light of the Situation Crisis Communication Theory. The Scientific Journal of Public Relations and Advertising Research.
Armawi, A. (2019). Nasionalisme dan Dinamika Ketahanan Nasional. Gadjah Mada University Press.
Armawi, A., Danugroho, A., Apriliyanti, K., & Asrofi, A. (2022). Smart Environment Program ’ s Traffic Management to Achieve Semarang City Resilience. Journal of Governance and Public Policy.
Beck, S., & Mahony, M. (2018). The IPCC and the new map of science and politics. In Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.547
Burhannuddin, M. A., & Danugroho, A. (2021). Pesta Rakyat ditengah Krisis: Partisipasi Masyarakat Pada Pilkada Sebelum dan Pada Saat Pandemi Covid-19. PROCEEDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ON INDONESIAN FOREIGN POLICY CONFERENCE. https://doi.org/10.33005/irofonic.v1i1.18
Byrne, D. (2022). A worked example of Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Quality and Quantity. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-021-01182-y
Charoensukmongkol, P., & Phungsoonthorn, T. (2022). The Interaction Effect of Crisis Communication and Social Support on The Emotional Exhaustion of University Employees during the COVID-19 Crisis. International Journal of Business Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488420953188
Coombs, W. T. (2022). Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). In The Handbook of Crisis Communication. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119678953.ch14
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. SAGE Publications.
Danugroho, A. (2022a). Mengartikan Ketahanan Nasional. Pustaka Aksara.
Danugroho, A. (2022b). Threats To Food Security in The Food and Energi Barn Area: Agricultural Land Function Change in Bojonegoro Regency. ARISTO, 10(2), 218–231. https://doi.org/10.24269/ars.v10i2.5056
Danugroho, A., & Sa’adah, A. H. (2021). Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS) di tengah Pandemi Covid-19 dan Implementasinya Terhadap Ketahanan Ekonomi. PROCEEDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ON INDONESIAN FOREIGN POLICY CONFERENCE. https://doi.org/10.33005/irofonic.v1i1.10
Danugroho, A., Umamah, N., Marjono, Sumardi, & Pratama, A. R. (2020). Aceh tsunami and government policy in handling it : a historical study a historical study. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 485. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/485/1/012140
Danugroho, A., & Yusfira, F. (2023). Management Policy for Oil and Gas Sector of Bojonegoro Regency Government in Kang Yoto Era. TRANSFORMASI: Jurnal Manajemen Pemerintahan. https://doi.org/10.33701/jtp.v15i1.2510
Ding, I. (2020). Performative Governance. World Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043887120000131
Et.al, T. S. K. B. A. (2021). The Crisis Management and the Reputation of UAE Police: An Application Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT). https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i3.1327
Fowler, L. (2022). Using the Multiple Streams Framework to Connect Policy Adoption to Implementation. Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.12381
Fussell Sisco, H., Collins, E. L., & Zoch, L. M. (2010). Through the looking glass: A decade of Red Cross crisis response and situational crisis communication theory. Public Relations Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.08.018
Ganter, E. (2018). Arguing about Indigenous administrative participation in the Whitlam era: A representation theory analysis. Australian Journal of Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12355
Hardi, R., & Gohwong, S. (2020). E-Government Based Urban Governance on the Smart City Program in Makassar, Indonesia. Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.46507/jcgpp.v1i1.10
Hidayatullah, M. F. (2020). Actualization of KH. Abdurrahman Wahid’s (Gus Dur) Thought: Socio-Religious and Economic Education Perspective. Ta’dib : Jurnal Pendidikan Islam.
Hidayatullah, T., Suliansyah, I., Swasti, E., & Putri, N. E. (2023). A Bibliometric Analysis of Hybrid Maize Research using VOSviewer. Jurnal Biologi Tropis, 23(1), 459–468. https://doi.org/10.29303/jbt.v23i1.4641
Jackson, K. D., & Pye, L. W. (2023). Political Power and Communications in Indonesia. In Political Power and Communications in Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.2307/601235
Keping, Y. (2018). Governance and Good Governance: A New Framework for Political Analysis. Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-017-0197-4
Komarulzaman, A., Andoyo, R., Anna, Z., Ghina, A. A., Halim, P. R., Napitupulu, H., Karunia, M. R., & Andriani, A. (2023). Achieving zero stunting: a sustainable development goal interlinkage approach at district level. Sustainability, 15(11), 8890.
Krajnović, A. (2018). Institutional Theory and Isomorphism: Limitations in Multinational Companies. Journal of Corporate Governance, Insurance, and Risk Management. https://doi.org/10.56578/jcgirm050101
Kutlu-Abu, N., & Arslan, R. (2023). Evolving trend of media literacy research: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Media Literacy Education. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2023-15-1-7
Latanna, M. D., Gunawan, B., Franco-García, M. L., & Bressers, H. (2023). Governance Assessment of Community-Based Waste Reduction Program in Makassar. Sustainability (Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914371
Limphaibool, W., Buranapin, S., Jariangprasert, N., & Chaiprasit, K. (2022). Collective Mindfulness and Organizational Resilience in Times of Crisis. Change Management. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-798X/CGP/v22i02/49-60
Macnamara, J. (2021). New insights into crisis communication from an “inside” emic perspective during COVID-19. Public Relations Inquiry. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X21999972
Marsen, S. (2020). Navigating Crisis: The Role of Communication in Organizational Crisis. International Journal of Business Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488419882981
Mokline, B., & Ben Abdallah, M. A. (2022). The Mechanisms of Collective Resilience in a Crisis Context: The Case of The ‘COVID-19’ Crisis. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40171-021-00293-7
Mosley, P. (2012). Political violence, state instability, and poverty. In The Politics of Poverty Reduction. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199692125.003.0004
Muchlis, Z. (2018). The Impacts of Elections on Economics in Indonesia. IJISH (International Journal of Islamic Studies and Humanities). https://doi.org/10.26555/ijish.v1i2.556
Nik, V. M., & Moazami, A. (2021). Using collective intelligence to enhance demand flexibility and climate resilience in urban areas. Applied Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.116106
Parahita, G. D. (2019). The Rise of Indonesian Feminist Activism on Social Media. Jurnal Komunikasi Ikatan Sarjana Komunikasi Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.25008/jkiski.v4i2.331
Parkhurst, A. (2018). City and cosmology: genetics, health, and urban living in Dubai. Anthropology and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2017.1398815
Peters, B. G. (2023). Good governance. In The Elgar Companion to the OECD. https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ilshs.21.132
Petrosyan, A. (2019). The Features of Political Participation in Conditions of Information Society. WISDOM, 12(1), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.24234/wisdom.v12i1.238
Pinto, R. Á. (2018). Digital sovereignty or digital colonialism? Sur.
Puspitarini, R. (2019). Bureaucracy reform: open government partnership as a change strategy in Bojonegoro regency? Journal of Public Administration Studies, 4(2), 46–50.
Ratang, S. (2016). Analysis of Financial Performance of Local Government Keerom Fiscal Year 2009 - 2013. Journal of Social and Development Sciences. https://doi.org/10.22610/jsds.v7i1.1227
Ratner, B. D., Meinzen-Dick, R., May, C., & Haglund, E. (2013). Resource conflict, collective action, and resilience: An analytical framework. International Journal of the Commons. https://doi.org/10.18352/ijc.276
Rosyid, M. (2023). Gerakan Adaptasi Politik Komunitas Samin di Kudus Jawa Tengah. Aceh Anthropological Journal. https://doi.org/10.29103/aaj.v7i2.12516
Sarango-Lalangui, P., Rodríguez, J., Carreño, K. T., & Galarza, B. (2023). Evolution and Trends in SME Digitization Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Journal of Technology Management and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-27242023000100053
Schweitzer, F., Zingg, C., & Casiraghi, G. (2024). Struggling With Change: The Fragile Resilience of Collectives. Perspectives on Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231192052
Sijtsma, K., & Junker, B. W. (2006). Item Response Theory: Past Performance, Present Developments, and Future Expectations. Behaviormetrika. https://doi.org/10.2333/bhmk.33.75
Situmorang, N. B., Thamrin, M. H., & Nadjib, A. (2021). Successful Approach Implementasi Talent Mapping: Studi pada PFA di BPKP. Matra Pembaruan. https://doi.org/10.21787/mp.5.1.2021.39-51
Thompson, J. W. (2012). Coombs’ theory of data. Philosophy of Science.
Tu, C. C., Chang, M. L., & Chiao, Y. C. (2023). Are we all in the same boat? Appropriate response strategies to collective CSR crises. Asia Pacific Journal of Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-021-09789-3
Walters, G. D., & Bolger, P. C. (2019). Procedural justice perceptions, legitimacy beliefs, and compliance with the law: a meta-analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-018-9338-2
Wirba, A. V. (2024). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Role of Government in promoting CSR. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01185-0
Zaitul, Z., Ilona, D., & Novianti, N. (2023). Good Governance in Rural Local Administration. Administrative Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13010019
Zhang, S. N., Ruan, W. Q., Li, Y. Q., & Xiao, H. (2024). Cultural distortion risks at heritage sites: Scale development and validation. Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104860