THE SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL PARADIGM OF BELIEF COMMUNITIES AS A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze how cosmology, social norms, and the spirituality of the indigenous faith community shape harmonious interactions with nature as a sacred, dynamic, and interconnected whole. All are creations of God that must be respected as subjects. This study uses qualitative methods through a literature study. Data were obtained from Google Scholar and Scopus using the criterion of articles published in the last 5 years (2020-2025). The keywords used are believers, indigenous peoples, beliefs, ecological crisis, and environmental conservation grounded in local wisdom. The collected data were analyzed using a descriptive-analytical approach to map the relationship between the social and spiritual systems of believers in environmental conservation practices. The study's results show that adaptive traditional ecological knowledge and customary laws practiced by indigenous peoples serve as strategies for sustainable natural resource management. Rituals and social norms reinforce environmental ethics, limit overexploitation, and ensure community welfare in line with ecosystem health. Although believers still face stereotypes, stigma, and discrimination, their presence is important for maintaining ecological balance. The socio-ecological paradigms of believers include: (1) a cosmological paradigm that views nature as a sacred entity that must be preserved; (2) a social-communitarian paradigm, in the form of customary rules and mutual cooperation in environmental conservation; (3) a spiritual-ethical paradigm that emphasizes the value of harmony, such as memayu hayuning bawana; and (4) a practical sustainability paradigm, which is the direct application of cosmological and spiritual values in resource management.