Lukman Hakim, Purnawan Dwikora Negara, Sirajuddin, Qatrunnada Hamparan Melati
Paradiplomacy has emerged as a critical mechanism for subnational governments to engage internationally in response to globalization and decentralization. While extensively studied in federal systems, its dynamics within unitary states remain underexplored. This study examines the evolution and institutionalization of paradiplomacy in Indonesia through qualitative case studies of West Java Province and the City of Surabaya. Drawing on Kuznetsov’s multidimensional framework, complemented by theories of multilevel governance, actorness, and soft power, the analysis highlights how subnational actors navigate legal ambiguities, institutional constraints, and political centralization to assert agency in global governance. Findings reveal that leadership vision, institutional innovation, strategic networking, and adaptive governance strategies, rather than formal legal authority, drive successful paradiplomacy in Indonesia. Despite notable achievements, systemic challenges—such as fragmented coordination, legal uncertainty, and capacity limitations— constrain the full potential of subnational international engagement. This study expands paradiplomacy theory beyond federal contexts, emphasizing the importance of informal mechanisms, networked strategies, and alignment with national development agendas to enable subnational actors within centralized political systems. © 2026, Observare. All rights reserved.
Faculty of Law, Universitas Widyagama Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Faculty of Law, Universitas Widyagama Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Faculty of Law, Postgraduate Program of Universitas Widyagama Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Programme – MESPOM), Central European University, University of the Aegean, Lund University, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
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