Socioeconomic changes post Indonesia-Papua New Guinea cross-border development

This study aims to examine how the development of the National Border Post (PLBN) Skouw reshapes socioeconomic dynamics in the Papua–Papua New Guinea border region. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach based on in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, the research identifies three primary areas of transformation: the intensification of cross-border trade, the emergence of border tourism, and the establishment of cross-border cultural festivals. The findings show that the development of PLBN Skouw has significantly accelerated economic activity and transformed the border from an isolated frontier into a dynamic socioeconomic hub. However, this transformation is not uniformly experienced. The study demonstrates that while PLBN-driven development has expanded economic opportunities, it simultaneously produces uneven participation and reinforces existing socioeconomic disparities, particularly affecting Indigenous Papuan communities. Rather than generating inclusive growth, border development operates through a pattern of differential inclusion, where access to opportunities is formally open but substantively unequal. This research contributes to border studies by advancing a critical perspective that integrates the Cross-Border Governance System framework with the concept of differential inclusion to explain how infrastructure-led development simultaneously enables integration and reproduces inequality. The study argues that the success of border development should not be assessed solely through economic growth indicators, but must also consider the distribution of benefits and the extent to which marginalized groups are able to participate meaningfully in emerging border economies. This finding highlights the need for justice-oriented border policies that prioritize equity alongside economic expansion.