Relevance of Ostrom's Institutional Analysis and Development Framework in Managing Community-Based Natural Resource Policies
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Abstract
Natural resource governance in decentralized and community-based contexts remains one of the central challenges in environmental policy. This conceptual article examines the relevance of Elinor Ostrom's Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework as a theoretical lens for analyzing and improving community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) policies in Indonesia and similar developing contexts. Using a systematic literature review and conceptual analysis methodology, the article explores how IAD's core components—action arena, actors, rules-in-use, and outcomes—map onto the complex realities of local governance, customary institutions (adat), and state-community relations in natural resource sectors. The findings reveal that the IAD Framework provides significant analytical utility, particularly in diagnosing institutional failures, identifying leverage points for policy reform, and recognizing the legitimacy of polycentric governance arrangements. However, the framework also encounters limitations when confronted with deep power asymmetries, the commodification of nature, and the weakening of social capital in contemporary rural communities. The article argues that an adapted IAD approach, integrated with political ecology and social capital perspectives, offers a more robust foundation for designing equitable and sustainable CBNRM policies. Practical implications for policymakers and community practitioners are discussed.
Keywords: IAD Framework, Ostrom, community-based natural resource management, institutional analysis, polycentric governance, Indonesia.
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