Adaptasi Sosial Anak Jalanan dalam Aktivitas Mengemis dan Berjualan di Surabaya Timur

Abstract

Abstract

Street children remain one of the most persistent social issues in urban areas, particularly in relation to poverty, educational inequality, and limited access to social welfare. This study aims to analyze the forms of social adaptation developed by street children engaged in begging and street vending in East Surabaya using Robert K. Merton's Anomie Theory. The research employed a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving five informants selected through purposive sampling, consisting of four street children and one street community educator as the supporting informant. Data validity was strengthened through source triangulation, while data analysis followed the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, including data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal four dominant forms of adaptation. Ritualism appears when street children continue to follow social expectations within their environment despite abandoning conventional educational goals. Conformity is reflected in their willingness to work because of parental expectations and family responsibilities. Retreatism emerges among children who withdraw from formal education after experiencing violence or bullying at school. Innovation is demonstrated through alternative economic activities, such as selling tissues and performing street music, to support household income. These adaptive strategies illustrate that street children's decisions are shaped by structural pressures rather than individual preferences. The study contributes to a broader understanding of street children's social realities and highlights the importance of strengthening family welfare, educational access, and child protection policies through more responsive and sustainable social interventions.

Keywords: Anomie Theory; East Surabaya; Robert K. Merton; Social Adaptation; Street Children