The Network of Actors in Yasir Machmud’s Victory in the 2024 Legislative Elections in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi

Overview

This study applies Actor-Network Theory to analyze the electoral success of Yasir Machmud in the 2024 legislative elections in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The research challenges candidate-centered and party-centered explanations of electoral outcomes by positioning power as emergent from dynamic networks composed of both human and non-human actors. Within Indonesia's open proportional representation system, the study examines how social ties, technology, institutions, and local values function as relational configurations that produce electoral victory. The theoretical framework emphasizes that elections are not determined by individual agency or organizational capacity alone, but through the structural, affective, and symbolic interactions of diverse actants. By following the principle of tracing actants across their associations, the research situates electoral mobilization as a networked phenomenon in which material objects, digital platforms, and cultural norms operate as active participants rather than passive instruments.

Methods and approach

The research employed a qualitative case study design conducted in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis. The study followed the Actor-Network Theory methodological principle of tracing actants through their associations and interactions within the campaign network. Informants were selected through purposive sampling based on their strategic roles and positions within the electoral network. Data analysis proceeded through three stages: reduction, display, and verification, designed to ensure analytical rigor and contextual validity. The approach prioritized understanding the relational dynamics among network elements rather than isolating individual variables or causal factors.

Results

The findings identify a multi-stage network formation process underlying Yasir Machmud's electoral victory, encompassing issue mobilization, organizational structuring, integration of social media and technology, adaptive coordination, and final consolidation. Trust-based social relations and cultural values functioned as interconnected actors mediating power, mobilization, and voter engagement throughout the campaign. Social media platforms, algorithms, and campaign tools operated as active agents rather than neutral instruments, influencing political perception and participation. The research demonstrates that electoral success emerged from a complex, adaptive actor network in which human and non-human elements interacted across structural, affective, and symbolic dimensions. The network's capacity to integrate digital technologies with local cultural practices and social relationships proved central to mobilizing support and shaping voter behavior.

Implications

The study demonstrates the analytical utility of Actor-Network Theory for examining contemporary local electoral politics in Indonesia, revealing how power and mobilization are distributed across heterogeneous networks rather than concentrated in candidates or party organizations. The findings challenge conventional electoral analysis that privileges human agency or organizational capacity by showing how material objects, digital platforms, and cultural values function as constitutive elements of political outcomes. The research underscores the importance of understanding elections as relational phenomena in which success depends on the effective assembly and maintenance of networks linking diverse human and non-human actors. This approach has relevance for understanding local electoral politics in contexts where open proportional representation systems create opportunities for candidate-centered network mobilization strategies.

Disclosure

• Research title: The Network of Actors in Yasir Machmud's Victory in the 2024 Legislative Elections in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi
• Authors: B Mujiburrahman, Muhammad ., Gustiana A. Kambo
• Publication date: 2026-01-21
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.62754/ais.v7i1.998
• OpenAlex record: View
• Image credit: Photo by Fajar Herlambang STUDIO on Unsplash (Source • License)
• Disclosure: This post was generated by artificial intelligence. The original authors did not write or review this post.