Reassessing the Concept of Empowerment in the Context of Ambon's Maritime Communities

A Critical Reflection on Locally-Based Social Intervention Practices

Abstract

Purpose – This study reassesses the concept of empowerment in the context of Ambon’s maritime communities by critically examining how externally designed social interventions align—or fail to align—with local realities. It addresses the need to rethink empowerment not merely as individual economic advancement, but as collective well-being rooted in indigenous social structures and marine-based livelihoods.

Design/methods/approach – A qualitative, reflexive approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and focus group discussions in three coastal villages in Ambon. Participants included traditional leaders, fisherfolk, women, youth, and local NGO practitioners. Data were analyzed thematically using critical community practice and decolonial theory frameworks.

Findings – The study found that many empowerment programs operate with a standardized logic disconnected from local cultural values. Community members define empowerment in terms of mutual support, social harmony, and ecological sustainability—values often overlooked by externally imposed interventions. Projects that ignored these elements were typically short-lived or viewed as irrelevant.

Research implications/limitations – Findings are context-specific and not intended for broad generalization. The interpretive nature of qualitative methods and the researcher's embedded position may shape the insights produced. However, the study offers transferable principles for designing culturally grounded interventions.

Originality/value – This study contributes to critical empowerment literature by offering a locally rooted reinterpretation of empowerment that emphasizes relational and ecological dimensions. It calls for more dialogical, participatory, and culturally embedded approaches to community development.