Trapped in Motion: Youth, Waithood, and the Governance of Mobility in Indonesia's Industrial Periphery

In the context of globalization and regional industrial transformation, increased capital and labor mobility have not always translated into equitable opportunities for young people to secure employment. This paper explores the paradoxical dynamics in Indonesia's industrializing regions, where young people face limited prospects despite their physical mobility and digital connectivity. Drawing on the frameworks of Mobility Justice and Waithood, and supported by Appadurai's notion of the "capacity to aspire," this study investigates skill mismatches between local youth and FDI-driven labor demands, the "modernity trap" in rapidly urbanizing areas, and grassroots responses such as community mutual-aid networks. This paper investigates how structural barriers, institutional neglect, and policy fragmentation create a mobility paradox for Indonesian youth who remain economically excluded despite their physical mobility and aspirational capacity. Public governance strategies including youth-inclusive planning, adaptive vocational education, and equitable labor policies are proposed to transform mobility into justice-oriented empowerment. Findings carry broader relevance for other Global South contexts experiencing similar development challenges.