The Interconnectedness of the Social Construction in the Process of
Dehumanization of Street Children in the City of Yogyakarta
Bagas Narendra Parahita, Yulius Slamet and Bagus Haryono
Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Keywords: Social Construction, Dehumanization, Street Children.
Abstract: The existence of the street to survive causes the child in bad condition. This resulted in the children being in
the limitations of economic conditions that could reduce the rights of the child. Child's life on the streets can
be pushed toward dehumanization because the learning process of the child always happens on the streets full
of risk. This research aims to analyze the social construction that can lead to street children experience
dehumanization. This qualitative descriptive study using a case study which is explanatory. For the informant
used the maximum variation sampling. Data collection is done using observation, interview, and
documentation. Data validation is done using triangulation of data sources. The results showed children from
the category of children of the street and a part of street family experience the process of dehumanization
because the child in her life feel that there is no longer the right solution to survive apart from the life of the
streets. While street children from the category of children on the street are not subjected to dehumanizing
because children are still getting more attention from parents and children assume the street, not the place to
survive but to seek additional income.
1 INTRODUCTION
Children should have the right to get education, care
and affection were forced to live in the way, with all
the risks faced every day. A variety of factors
underlying causes of children for forced to live on the
streets. According to Demartoto, the number of street
children did not experience a decline automatically
from year to year, even shows the condition of more
concern (Demartoto, 2012)
The condition marginal position felt by street
children. The influence of life the streets on the
process the development of kids have an impact on
the process understanding children to identity they in
the community. Influence street life for the child
development have an impact on the process of
understanding the identity themselves in the
community.According to our empirical knowledge o
f mankind, could notconceivably be detached from t
he outpouring of himselfcontinuously into the curren
t world (Berger P. L., 1991)
In the process of socialization of a child of the
streets will always identify all forms of
discrimination, isolation, economic limitations,
isolation, economic constraints, as well as various
forms of activity that happen on the streets. The
circumstances experienced by one or a group of
people because of the lack of jobs and a steady
income Pressure and a big risk on the street will affect
thus causing a or group of people are not able to meet
the needs of food, clothing and housing in decent
(Haryono, 2012). Construction thought street
children as evidenced through the form of a decision
to take to the streets. The decision of the
marginalization of forms received from the
community. The identity of the street children are still
hard to be accepted as part of the social structure due
to the construction of a thinking society still considers
street children are naughty child representation,
criminal, slums and poor. Such is the form of
dehumanization that street children received due to
social construction that happened to street children
and received from the community widely.
According to the data of the Social Department of
manpower and transmigration (dinsosnakertrans) of
Yogyakarta city, the number of street children
difficult to ascertain because they tend to be
frequently moved around from city to city. Those
activities do street children because children are
vulnerable to experiencing discrimination from the
various parties, as well as in the environment area of
mastery going on the streets.
Parahita, B., Slamet, Y. and Haryono, B.
The Interconnectedness of the Social Construction in the Process of Dehumanization of Street Children in the City of Yogyakarta.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 119-125
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
119

Table 1: The amount of Data on street children in the
city of the year 2012-2015.
No
Subdistrict
2012
2013
2014
2015
1.
Mantrijeron
3
1
0
0
2.
Kraton
7
0
0
0
3.
Mergangsan
7
5
2
2
4.
Umbulharjo
38
8
5
0
5.
Kotagede
1
1
1
1
6.
Gondokusuman
26
2
0
0
7.
Danurejan
34
1
0
0
8.
Pakualaman
2
0
0
0
9.
Gondomanan
1
1
1
2
10.
Ngampilan
18
7
7
5
11.
Wirobrajan
0
0
0
4
12.
Gedongtengen
8
3
3
3
13.
Jetis
39
17
17
5
14.
Tegalrejo
30
12
18
20
Total
214
58
54
42
The number of street children in the city of
Yogyakarta, according to the table above shows the
numbers decline, but it does not directly describe the
reality of the situation. The fact is there are still many
children who do a Street activity, such as busking and
begging. It's just, when first the way kids indeed are
always found at the intersection, at the t-junction of
the roads, and tend to be more like a huddle, its
mobility high street children now often sedentary and
not dwell in one place to avoid the reach of the
authorities. The context of street children will not be
far away from the problems of poverty, street children
and has considered the conditions, and can only
survive in conditions of the underprivileged.
The poverty suffered by the communities it is
considered to have been a fate and not possible,
therefore humans and society must adjust themselves
from poverty that, in order not to feel the disquiet
souls or prolonged frustration. Man and society
surrender to fate and being do not need to use the
resources in their environment to change the fate of
it. Based on the notion of poverty, that the poor person
becomes affected by the socio-cultural factors.
Poverty causes limitations in various aspects of
life. A positive reaction and adaptation need to be
done by individuals who were in the lowest poverty
line. In the viewing angle, an anthropologist said that
easier to eradication of poverty than culture poverty
(Lewis, 1993)
Research gap found in the research is the context
of the problem election think street children at the
child social construction of the streets that affect the
dehumanization. While research positions in it are
focused on the relatedness explanation social
construct of various the experience of being alive a
child when being on the road that leads to the concept
of dehumanization. In this case, dehumanization are
evident in the identification process and the concept
of behavior think children about the life of the streets.
In this study attempts to described forms category
street children in the city Yogyakarta; Analyzing
child social construction the roads around town the
Yogyakarta Analyzing dehumanization happened to
street children in the city Yogyakarta; And analyze
the social construction of the process of
dehumanization street children in the city
Yogyakarta.
The theory construction social according to
Berger and Luckmann, there is two basic object
reality related to knowledge, the subjective reality,
and objective reality. Subjective reality of knowledge
individual. Besides, Reality subjective is construction
definition reality owned individuals and in
construction through a process internalization. The
subjective reality that owned each individual is a
basis of to get involved in the process of
externalization, or process of social interaction with
other individuals in a social structure. Through a
process externalization, an individual collectively
capable do objectivation and bring up a construction
of objective reality is new (Poloma, 2004).
The concept of dehumanization in this research
refers to a case culture poverty described by Oscar
Lewis. According to Oscar Lewis (Lewis, 1993),
culture poverty is an adaptation or adjustment and is
a reaction the poor of position marginal they in the
society was high, very individualizing, and
characterized by capitalism. Oscar Lewis (Lewis,
1993) stated that culture these reflect an efforts to
overcome the feeling of despair and without hope,
who was the embodiment of that consciousness
impossible can gain success in life in accordance with
the values and the purpose of the community more
extensive.
Oscar Lewis (Lewis, 1993) also explains that
culture poverty is not only is an adaptation to a set of
the terms of the objective of the wider because once
culture had grown up, she tends to preserve himself
from generation to generation through their influence
on children.
2 METHODS
Research descriptive this qualitative in a case study.
Case study chosen because in general may give
access or a broad to researchers to review in depth,
detail, intensified and comprehensive to unit subjects
that are street children who exertion in the city
Yogyakarta. (Yin, 2011) Informants were 15 street
children as informants main.As for informants
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
120

supporters of the family, brother, a mentor was 6
people for the purpose of triangulation data.
Researchers also interviewed representatives from
the dept. of social city Yogyakarta. Data collection is
done using observation, interviews, and
documentation. Data validation carried out using
triangulation data sources, while in the data analysis
using a technique of the data analysis interactive
model. How to compile the maximum variation
sampling is a researcher taking informants have
different characteristics (Slamet, 2006). In this
research, the validity of the data obtained through a
model triangulation of the sources and use of
reference material in order to support the data has
been collected so as to be tested the truth.
3 ETHICAL CLEARENCE
To protect identity street children as the subject of
study, and all the data and information obtained from
informants guarded election secrecy and only used for
research.
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Street children of the study in this research were street
children derived from category children of the street,
children on street, and a part of the street family. In
the category of the children streets the decision to
living in the loss of attention because of parents when
the automatic primary missing children will
triangulate the source activity and other assistance to
help solve problems and providing for his life.
Children may instead choose to rest on the roadside
or a public place for it could not have a house. How
to survive street children when night this category is
to sleep in any a place like, the outskirts of the store,
terminal, bridge together community street children
other. But, the process not settled but nomadic or
move. In this context, street children represent that
the street is the most qualified to survive.
The majority of street children found to come
from a with the economy poor. On a street child
category, the children on street still live or return to
parents house with a period of different. There are the
findings of the parents who do not know the children
in the streets means the process children affected the
environment peers. There are finding that parents let
the children in the streets for the money because they
are considered the activity benefiting family
economy. Reasons to stay home parents are different
depending on the need for street children some
children still sleeping beds in the parents and intensity
meeting with the families of despite a period of a time
difference. When there are finding street children this
category not yet back to parents house, they survive
in public places at night.
The category of street children have typical more
complex, relating to supervision related parents the
activities, the decision to back home, the survive and
a view to being on the road. The process of
dehumanization street children was due to the social
construction of his personal and community. In
personal all the activity in the streets would affect the
process of understanding children about the existence
of himself. Children will feel oppressed and
discriminated because some to limited access owned.
The social construction can be seen through several
phases namely externalization, objectivation, and
internalization. To the process externalization street
children category children of the street all problems
economy of a family as divorce parents expressed
street children through renunciation to be in the
socialization primary long-term. The same thing
perceived street children when there is a solicitation
to go in the street of people you simply have been
credible as while street children of seeing reality
environment that lives the streets it turns out that can
provide solutions, children will experience
externalization in the decision-making process.
In another finding, construction happening in the
society at the externalization happened to street
children category children on street identified by
environmental factors their peers much give impact
on the process externalization street children this
category. All forms of activity expressed by the
children in the only around the desired such as by
increasing allowances. At process externalization this
street children feel that with enough money his pocket
itself a means of also helped parents, although parents
are these activities. Street children in this category
can also express themselves on the street because of
economic needs parents or demands.
To a street kid category a part of street family the
process externalization created resulting from
conditions of a child who made all in the parents
expressed by choice single .There are the finding that
children with itself will help in the parents, although
not have to were sent by parents .This proved that
externalization happened on child category a part of
street family.
Besides, the process of objectivation street
children seen in the category of children of the street
is when children take the decision to live in the street
is an urgent need, there is no other choice, and that
makes difference for her to realize that life on the
The Interconnectedness of the Social Construction in the Process of Dehumanization of Street Children in the City of Yogyakarta
121

streets is an election being objective. The process
occurs when objectivation street children in the
category of children on street children identified
when understanding that street activities could add
additional income. The process of objectivation also
can occur in older people who actually do not allow
children not knowing or children activities at first but
finally, parents do not take the attitude more. In the
category, the process from a part of the street family
objectivation understood with limited choice besides
must follow the activity of the street parents. The
child feels no purpose in addition to follow directions
and activities parents in the street.
Construction other social aspects that occur in
street children found on the internalization when the
category children of street felt more comfortable
being on the road although have to live with the
condition limited and with all risk faced by. The
concept of internalization other in understand street
children category children on the street when doing
the streets daily activities although some parents do
not send them to go in the street. At this child the view
that the condition of the road is placed favorable and
could add to their income although children this
category the majority still cared for by family.
Dehumanization very seen in street children category
a part of the street family when the introduction of life
the streets given to young kids will internalization
into the availability to be faced. Dehumanization
occurring in street children which occur because the
process construction social can study from various
aspects found through.
4.1 Isolation
Children experienced dehumanization seen in forms
isolation, at this stage there is the finding that parents
does not allow children to perform the activities of
other than activities they can make money, isolation
occurred due to the socialization process primary.
Another point is when the process inbreeding
happened in the life of the streets, this is a form of
isolation in the context of biological. Children will be
isolated by the condition of being very poor,
evidenced by awareness of self with minimal to is
very confident positive or the spirit is in change fate.
Researchers found that the isolation process that
occurs in street children leads to some parts found
from interviews, as revealed by CH "For parents
whose children are not allowed, usually his parents
feel disturbed when his son we accompanied, even
our volunteers had time to be slapped the parents of
street children because parents feel their income is
reduced because it is targeted a day 100 thousand,
whereas the child is still 9 years old" As expressed
CH, there is a form of street children isolation
obtained through the prohibition of children to follow
programs run by a caring community with the fate of
street children.
4.1.1 Aspirations weak
Aspirations very weak indicated by opinion that lead
to street children feel marginalised and more choose
not to give an opinion and their demand, street
children do not give aspirations leading to
pegembangan itself up to himself, street children this
category seems not concerned with existing
conditions and not trying to change into a better
direction aspirations delivered weak and only refer
best interest in the life patterns of the family were in
the streets. The internet: ask to more be noticed the
condition and his life with more often help them. The
main element of aspiration is not used to give concern
related to development process and forming the future
of street children. the following excerpt from
interview with SY "I do not know mas, useless to
nuntut" In this case, SY responded that when street
children give aspiration will not change their fate. SY
feels marginalized and prefers not to give his opinion
and aspirations.
4.1.2 Fatalistic
Street children in the can only be live in a way drape
in the life of the streets, whatever happens in the
streets, children impressed used to all limitations
.street children of various categories of feel
surrendered to the condition family life, The streets
only escape from a the problem or the desire for
personal children to get new livelihood, whatever fate
in the development of self very high, evidenced by
feel have no the problem when sick on the street to
the elderly help .street children this category
impressed surrender because street children feel that
the activities carried out by on the street with parents
as options end in undergo the process daily life.
4.1.3 Momentary orientation
Proved orientation a moment when they think that
income he got more meaningful if it is used to buy
things not really a primary needs. Nearly the same
category of street children, the thought that income he
got more meaningful if it is used to buy things not
really a primary needs. Street children this category
have orientation just because of it fate he told to live
under regeneration poverty made he is unable to
maximize earnings for useful activities for all the
limitation. In the event of proven dehumanization
through the orientation of future life would be very
hard to found on the poor. There are several
environmental factors that influence the orientation of
the future of street children is reduced, such
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
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interaction with the environment as well as low level
support information about the future. Some excerpts
of the interview conducted researchers to street
children will explain it. "Yeah like this, anyway my
money can already sing happy, create ate the same
smoking" Staple street children who are supposed to
be filled with not-so-mean for DN, He considered that
the income that he get more meaning if used to
purchase goods, which are in fact not become primary
needs such as smoking.
4.1.4 Spirit very low
The spirit of low, found of various argument street
children of the street, meaning delivered lead to
orientation short term in terms of basic needs. It was
done street children as an expression of inability to
achieve the level of success high. This is the describe
from children on street "I can ya just busking in the
street, singing if only life bias if not Yes stay poor like
this". The spirit of limited, impressed circumstantial
made progress in terms of yourself. In these
conditions street children want pattern activity better
but did not have a passion for changing the activity.
4.1.5 The fighting very low
The fighting very low, street children this category
consider the street activity as the ultimate.
Pemahamannya is street children are very
comfortable to singing for money or spend time on
the street.Very low for the son of the street on
category a part of the street family is dependent on the
activities of parents in the streets. A pattern of low
fighting nearly as regards the street activity as a major
and should not be developed. Environmental factors
were very significant in the process of purport street
children to develop standard life.
Hard work is the way to do an embodiment of the
process of motivation. In the context of street children
are often lost because of the cultural motivation of the
streets that provide comfort needs are basic, in this
case the meaning it can inhibit the development of
motivation. Here are some of the opinions delivered
by the informant and street children, from category
children of the street "Usually hang out around the
lively malioboro if night in malioboro. Busking can
taste good money while playing." The everyday
activities of street children are just done with the
Assembly and busking makes the development of
motivation of life interrupted.
4.1.6 Motivation is Weak
Motivation to work hard very low because the
socialization performed only with the same subject
that is street children. And in a group street itself is
not formed strong motivation to changing patterns life
into a better direction. Very low beside still depends
on the activities of parents in the streets, many parents
impressed surrender instead of calling his son to
participate earning money on the street. Motivation to
work hard low, but there are street children who have
motivation saving based on the health condition of the
mother.
4.2 Discrimination
The other dehumanization can be seen from
restrictions, harassment, and oppression their
activities also happens to a discovery that indicated
there was discrimination street children women,
discrimination leading to sexual harassment, but it is
regarded as it is normal because of helplessness street
children women in doing rejection. Rejection of the
establishment of the shelter house in one of their in
the city Yogyakarta may be regarded as forms of
discrimination existence street children. Recognition
street children feel that discrimination also
experienced due to government policy is when street
children must avoid the officers street children are
everywhere.
4.3 Low education
Street children refuse to follow formal education are
not free. Street children had had low in terms of
intellectual hence street children at all have no need
to go to school. "The school never at all, for what also,
already stupid" The streets of all limitations regarded
as learning.
4.4 Criminal behavior
The act of criminal behavior done merely negative
liquor when gathered with friends the streets other ,
also found recognition street children often inhaling
glue. "Hanging out with friends, when usually it
togethers Yes just drinking liquor while smoking"
Street children also practicing steal goods messenger
but because of other people who have more power.
The links between construction social received
street children will an impact to the process
dehumanizing children and manifest in the value,
principles, and lifestyle leading to upon an activity
dehumanizing.All social process undertaken street
children when was on the road have great influence
on the development of his personality. At first there
are various factors and reasons why the children took
to the streets spent some or all his time in the streets.
In this research found various categories of covering
children of street, children on street, and a part of
street family.
The Interconnectedness of the Social Construction in the Process of Dehumanization of Street Children in the City of Yogyakarta
123

Each category has the unique characteristics of the
origin of its own related, the factors causing took to
the street, the activities of the streets, and the purpose
of life on the street. Economic activities or living with
a community street become the daily activity for
street children. In this research all forms of the life
patterns of the and the activities of street children in
the capital regarded as a result of a social construct
built in the public about the figure of street children
in itself that then give them a major influence for by
the individuals who were forced to live on the streets.
Limitations of life on the streets cause the child
suffered dehumanizing or oppression in the form of
concrete or abstract of being imperceptible in plain
view. For the identity of the suppression of street
children happens and regenerate through life forms of
discrimination.
In each category street children actually have
awareness of self with full of to be able to meet basic
needs, in order to survive are often street children
have more concept externalization with indicated
fatalistic on the fate of being endured and assume the
street life as a last resort for his life. In the context of
dehumanizing, externalization street children to exert
an influence in an activity a child who department
limited due to isolation, discrimination, access to
education that is difficult and criminal behavior a
result of the limitation of the fulfillment of a need.
This has happened in the process of externalization
street children who with self-awareness formed the
reality that they are indeed marginalized in the
structure of the community, streets become the final
choice.
The form of objectivation also provided the major
influence on the process externalization.
Objectivation is the stage where human activity
results in an objective reality that is out man. Status
earned street children as the low-income classes give
the concept of objectivation this understood by
several categories street children. In the concept of
objective reality it can be seen that street children
impressed withdraw from a process of development
life which in this case entitled to championed by the
individuals. Street children have a perception that
they are not required to occupy or enter in various
access that they could only hold by society middle to
upper class. This is shown to the low-interest street
children to follow formal education. The reason was
given by influenced by an awareness of position street
children who objectively they consider and
understand as a basis inability. Objectivation also in
the low passive response street children to fix the
economy. Street children feel that in their reality
cannot fight for life and only hope help from among
other. Awareness of reality this is giving major
influence on objectivation street children.
Simultaneously, the process externalization and
objectivation run in at the same time as
internalization. Internalization in the problem of
dehumanizing this is the process of admission to the
elements in told by street children. Socialization is the
main cause in the form of the process internalization.
Street children get understanding internalization
through a process livelihood his routine. Street
children will have sound judgment obtained in the
concept of externalization and objectivation and
shown through various expression obtained from the
process of internalization. Expression revenue street
children will live the streets formed and can be seen
from various ways street children who have felt so
welcome to spend his time in the streets. Each
category subjected to the process internalization this
is because street children feel there are more things
benefit within the socialization process. When life on
the streets children will assess all forms of activity,
this would become the basic street children to learn
how to survive well. social street children about
poverty which eventually become patterns activity
life leading to the process dehumanizing. The theory
social construction used to help explain social
construction street children about poverty which
eventually become an activity the leading to the
process dehumanizing.
Based on the research was in the context of street
children before, this study found a different
perspective in see cases of children street. The
process of poverty, in fact, the burden street children
do not only come from limited economic but also of
the process dehumanization experienced by children
when life on the streets. This is considered writer as a
novelty in this research. Certainly this support to
better understand forms poverty on the context street
children. In terms of pattern activity, street children
which are conducting work near the town of
Yogyakarta understand that the selection of the
decision to live in the way of because children not
having other choice.The impact is children will be
difficult to meet such needs as have to find a public
place being at ease in around the town of Yogyakarta
to rest, as at the fort vredeburg, stations, about fly
over jombor, some traditional markets, etc. Meeting
the needs of other also be established with the
condition of being in limited, but for the son of
enjoying these activities, therefore, dehumanizing
appear as a result of construction child socially
related life street.
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124

Table 2: Social construction and dehumanization on street
children.
Externalization
Objectivation
Internalization
Identified in
the causes of
and activity
children on the
street.
Understood as
reality life the
streets because
of the limitation
of the fulfillment
of a need.
Due to
understanding
children about
socialization
going on in the
street and
sehari-hari
activities on the
street.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The research was, that in case the street children
found three categories children of the street, children
on street, and a part of the street family. In the doing
concept, externalization, objectivation and
internalization walking simultaneously into a
construction think and be on a social reality. Data
from the findings several categories street children
covering children of the street, children on street, and
a part of the street family. Each category street
children have a difference in the causes of took to the
streets, the decision to plunge into the streets, and
problems another causing the choose the street as a
place to survive. Street children the children of a
street and a part of the street family tend to have the
risk of excess when being on the road because it lives
in such poor conditions, but to street children on street
category turned in research findings still get attention
or were ordered by parents and just think the street as
a playing ground in the context of street children in
the city Yogyakarta.
The practical implication of this research is to
provide a new point of view in terms of looking at
cases of poverty experienced by street children. From
the results of research it turned out that street children
feel more comfortable and enjoy a position of abject
poverty that basically they are on the dehumanizing
conditions. Theoretical implications in this research
is revealing that the condition comes from not only
the dehumanization of external factors in the concept
of poverty, but dehumanization is also occur due to
internal factors such as the culture of poverty
experienced by street children. The next research
recommendations that could be delivered is at the
stage of the research context would be better if the
focus of the subject directly to one of the categories
of street children only.
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