Social Life, Economic Vulnerability, and Community Welfare in The Buffer Zone of The New Capital City (IKN) of East Kalimantan

Abstract

The North Penajam Paser Regency in East Kalimantan Province has been selected as the new capital city of Indonesia, known as the Capital City of the Archipelago (IKN). This development significantly impacts the local community, particularly those residing in the buffer zone of the new capital. The research aims to assess the coastal and non-coastal Human Development Index (HDI) within the IKN buffer zone. Using census sampling, the study involved 5,353 families from eight villages in the buffer zone, comprised of five coastal and three non-coastal areas. The HDI was generally low across the study areas, with only two regions displaying modest HDI scores, indicating that the population remains underprivileged. The coastal had a higher average HDI (57.93) than non-coastal (56.23), suggesting better welfare in coastal communities. This research contributes to the social humanities field by providing insights into the welfare of communities affected by the establishment of the new capital.