Social Capital as an Instrument of Social Movement Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT): A Study of the Humanitarian Ship Program for Palestine

Abstract

This research is based on the facts regarding poverty and humanitarian disasters requiring external assistance. Such problems are not only the concern of the State in question, but also for the societies surrounding it. One of the responses toward such problems comes from Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT), a philanthropic foundation financed by social fundraising which undertakes various voluntary, humanitarian activities. In the midst of the birth of similar humanitarian foundations, ACT needs to improve the institutional resources so it can still facilitate the social participations of the community. Therefore, the underlying consideration of the study aims to explain the social capital built up by the ACT and from which the social participations are facilitated as efforts of helping to solve humanitarian social problems. By using a qualitative approach, the data of this study was collected through observations, studies of literature, in depth interviews, and audio-visual documents. The study found that: 1) The ACT, as a social movement, facilitates community participations by undertaking donation activities and volunteering based on Islamic values and nationalism; and, 2) it also promotes humanitarian principles aimed at building humanitarian solidarity and increasing public awareness to create positive changes within societies. Keywords—ACT, social capital, social movement