Youth aspirations in 'Desakota': the case of Klaten regency, Central Java, Indonesia

This study focuses on youth aspirations in the ‘desakota’ area, with a case study of Klaten Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. This is important since most studies on youth are drawn into either large urban cities or rural areas. Thus, a study in the context of an in-between region will showcase a unique specificity where traditionality and modernity intersect. This study explores how youth narrate their aspirations, in relation to their perception as youth, the complexity of the socio-spatial context in the digital age, and their efforts to make use of opportunities to realize their desired future. The questions are addressed through qualitative exploration, adopting ‘adult-decentering’ methods and a relational approach with the notions of identity and generations. This study found that youth in the ‘desakota’ creatively use the traditional aspects in which they live to develop their modern aspirations. Here, their social interactions within the broader social reproduction shape their identity, building the foundation of their aspirations.