- Development planning, Housing and Land Policies, Poverty and Social Exclusion, Urban Governance, Urban Sociology, Urban Growth and Planning, and 7 moreInternational Development, Segregation, Urban social segregation, Urban sociology, Development Studies, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, and Community Developmentedit
Pilar is a city located in the third ring of the Buenos Aires metropolitan region (Argentina). Over the past 30 years, the widespread development of gated residential communities has seemingly gone hand-in-hand with an urbanisation of... more
Pilar is a city located in the third ring of the Buenos Aires metropolitan region (Argentina). Over the past 30 years, the widespread development of gated residential communities has seemingly gone hand-in-hand with an urbanisation of this outer suburb signalled by the arrival of new populations, enterprise, retail and other services. The growth of the ‘private city’ of these gated communities therefore has important implications for the ‘public city’ of the wider suburban municipality. Drawing upon original research based on the opinions of key informants, this paper considers how the growth of the ‘private city’ has contributed to the economy of, processes of community- building and social cohesion in Pilar. In conclusion, it is suggested that gated residential communities have been a major factor in the emergence of the dual suburb that is Pilar today
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El aumento de la inseguridad urbana y la sen-sación de miedo han impulsado el desarrollo de urbanizaciones cerradas en muchas ciudades lati-noamericanas. Este modelo residencial ha intenta-do incluso extender su ‘target ’ a no sólo... more
El aumento de la inseguridad urbana y la sen-sación de miedo han impulsado el desarrollo de urbanizaciones cerradas en muchas ciudades lati-noamericanas. Este modelo residencial ha intenta-do incluso extender su ‘target ’ a no sólo residentes pertenecientes a los grupos socioeconómicos me-dio-altos y altos, sino también medio-bajos y bajos. Sin embargo, el presente artículo demuestra cómo vivir en urbanizaciones cerradas continúa estan-do fuertemente relacionado a la idea de distinción social y estatus. Para esto se analiza cuáles son las características principales de las urbanizaciones cerradas, quiénes son sus residentes, cuáles son sus actividades cotidianas y sus intereses y cómo
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Gated communities are becoming an increasingly distinctive feature in contemporary cities worldwide. Their growth and multiplication has provoked serious concerns about their argued role in encouraging urban social segregation. This... more
Gated communities are becoming an increasingly distinctive feature in contemporary cities worldwide. Their growth and multiplication has provoked serious concerns about their argued role in encouraging urban social segregation. This thesis sustains that this is an area of contention characterised by contradictory empirical descriptions. It also sustains that the absence of a conceptual framework constitutes a major obstacle for the understanding of the social consequences of gated communities. The purpose of the thesis is therefore to provide a conceptual framework and to answer two main questions: Is there a relationship between living in gated communities and urban social segregation? And if there is, how can this be explained? The thesis develops a conceptual framework drawing upon concepts from structuration theory to address these questions. This framework defines and establishes relationships between four key concepts: gated communities, urban social group segregation, social practices and viewpoints. The latter two are proposed as instruments for the analysis of urban social group segregation carried out by gated communities' residents. The thesis identifies and examines social practices and viewpoints of particular urban social groups living inside and in the surrounding areas of a gated community, in terms of their influences on urban social group segregation. The fieldwork of the research was carried out in a gated community called "Conjunto Urbano Palmares" in Mendoza, an intermediate city in Argentina. The research used a qualitative methodology with in-depth interviews as the main research tool. The findings of the research indicate that living in gated communities favours urban social group segregation. There is a relationship between living in gated communities and urban social group segregation that can be explained through the social practices and viewpoints of their residents. The particular attributes of the gated communities also contribute to the segregation of their residents from the outside local communities.
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The village of Sukunan in Yogyakarta has for the last 13 years implemented an innovative and successful community project to manage waste. The project is totally collectively driven by the community and has been replicated by other... more
The village of Sukunan in Yogyakarta has for the last 13 years implemented an innovative and successful community project to manage waste. The project is totally collectively driven by the community and has been replicated by other communities in Yogyakarta and Indonesia. The chapter tells the story of Sukunan Eco-Village from the beginning of the project to its significant environmental outcomes. The project has also achieved social and economic outcomes. In addition to solving an environmental problem through the management of solid waste, this project has empowered the local community through capacity building and the development of new livelihood opportunities. The success of the project implied some trade-offs, in particular in relation to the pace of the process, the requirement of strong leadership and the type of practices to be implemented. The project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 12 at a local scale.
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The chapter analyses the contribution of Teresa Caldeira to Urban Studies.
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This article analyses a fieldtrip studio course in Indonesia, reflecting on its value and benefits for urban planning. The original contribution of the article is twofold. First, we show how the course contributes to the development of... more
This article analyses a fieldtrip studio course in Indonesia, reflecting on its value and benefits for urban planning. The original contribution of the article is twofold. First, we show how the course contributes to the development of the skills and knowledge required by planning graduates. Second, in relation to the course’s learning activities, we reflect on the significance and challenges involved in building partnerships between academia and industry from the perspective of the key partners involved in the course.
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Indonesia has a long history of policies and programmes for housing and neighbourhood improvement. In the last five decades several approaches to housing have been implemented to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable... more
Indonesia has a long history of policies and programmes for housing and neighbourhood improvement. In the last five decades several approaches to housing have been implemented to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable groups. Since 1999, with the policy decentralisation, the government has made some institutional changes to promote more decentralised policy-making. The literature and empirical evidence seem to suggest that this decentralisation process has contributed to some changes in policy-making, shifting from a top-down approach in planning and housing policies to a bottom-up approach. However, this paper shows that this shift has not totally taken place and there is a hybrid type of governance combining top-down with bottom-up approaches.The paper exa1nines the current governance process for housing policies in Indonesia, looking · at the roles of stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of programmes. It looks at the PNPM Mandiri programme (Nation...
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El desarrollo de urbanizaciones cerradas en ciudades de todo el mundo es un signo principalmente caracteristico de los ‘90s y principios de este milenio. Este tipo de enclave residencial alberga principalmente a grupos sociales acomodados... more
El desarrollo de urbanizaciones cerradas en ciudades de todo el mundo es un signo principalmente caracteristico de los ‘90s y principios de este milenio. Este tipo de enclave residencial alberga principalmente a grupos sociales acomodados dentro de la estructura social urbana. Se caracteriza por tener un perimetro cerrado con dispositivos de seguridad, viviendas de alta calidad de construccion, codigo de convivencia y edificacion e infraestructura social y deportiva. Su desarrollo pone en evidencia las diferencias sociales urbanas y el acrecentamiento de la desigualdad en el espacio de la ciudad. Diferentes actores sociales intervienen en el proceso de planificacion urbana y desarrollo de estos emprendimientos, motivados por diferentes intereses. El presente trabajo analiza quienes son los diferentes actores que participan en este proceso, identificando sus motivaciones, como asi tambien las relaciones de poder que se establecen entre ellos. Se observa el caso de “Palmares”, una de ...
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Latin American Gated Communities: The Latest Symbol of Historic Social Segregation Sonia Roitman and Mónica Adriana Giglio Introduction Gated communities are a ... Paulista in São Paulo, Alvear in Buenos Aires and Alameda in Santiago de... more
Latin American Gated Communities: The Latest Symbol of Historic Social Segregation Sonia Roitman and Mónica Adriana Giglio Introduction Gated communities are a ... Paulista in São Paulo, Alvear in Buenos Aires and Alameda in Santiago de Chile (Gómez-Ferrer Bayo, 1992). ...
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Community engagement and urban activism have become significant in Indonesia over the last two decades. This has changed how citizens express their demands. This is encouraged by the government since Reformasi but it is also the result of... more
Community engagement and urban activism have become significant in Indonesia over the last two decades. This has changed how citizens express their demands. This is encouraged by the government since Reformasi but it is also the result of growing frustrations with inequalities in the city. This article analyses the activism of two urban groups in Yogyakarta (Indonesia) and examines the similarities and differences between them. One group comprises ‘deprived’ citizens who live in informal settlements, whereas the other is made up of a diverse group of ‘discontented’ citizens who feel their right to the city is undermined. These groups aspire to a more just city through collective action, though their origins and strategies differ.
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Slum dwellers are active agents and makers of the city often ignored by other stakeholders. This chapter utilizes primary and secondary data collected over two years to analyze the trajectory, strategies, and tactics of Kalijawi, a... more
Slum dwellers are active agents and makers of the city often ignored by other stakeholders. This chapter utilizes primary and secondary data collected over two years to analyze the trajectory, strategies, and tactics of Kalijawi, a recently created network of slum residents in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, fighting for their needs to be recognized. The organizational skills and active citizenship demonstrated by the membership of Kalijawi enable them to undertake strategic actions and form alliances to improve their lives and contribute to the city. While the lack of formal land tenure represents an obstacle for them to negotiate with the government, this shared vulnerability is their starting point to come together as a collective claiming their rights. The key finding is that over their five years of existence, Kalijawi has developed tactics to achieve internal strength and external visibility as producers of their city, ultimately being able to improve their material and non-material li...
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Pilar is a city located in the third ring of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region (Argentina). Over the last 30 years, its population has grown 70%. This growth has been encouraged by the private sector and particularly the development of... more
Pilar is a city located in the third ring of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region (Argentina). Over the last 30 years, its population has grown 70%. This growth has been encouraged by the private sector and particularly the development of gated communities contributing to the privatisation of the city. However, the growth of the ‘closed’ city also has important implications for the ‘open city’, which is characterised by poverty and precarious living conditions. This paper examines the growth of Pilar over the last two decades and considers to what extent the development of the ‘private city’ of gated communities, private universities, hotels and shopping centres, contributes to the development of the ‘open city’, and ultimately to the improvement of the living conditions of its residents. The opinions and interests of the social actors involved in the development of Pilar are considered through the analysis of interviews conducted to developers, gated community residents, real estat...
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While transport hubs function largely as mobility interchanges, they also serve as spaces of conflict and negotiation, particularly when informal livelihoods of poor populations take place in public spaces like streets and transport... more
While transport hubs function largely as mobility interchanges, they also serve as spaces of conflict and negotiation, particularly when informal livelihoods of poor populations take place in public spaces like streets and transport terminals. This condition poses challenges to urban planners and transport officials on how to promote inclusive cities without sacrificing urban mobility. We examine how informal trading has become embedded in the land-use patterns of Baclaran, a strategic transport hub in Metro Manila. Three factors emerge as critical in understanding how and why informal trading thrives in Baclaran: a) the presence of commuters as captive market; b) mixed land use and activity agglomeration; and c) multi-layered socio-spatial relations. Our empirical data also shows how normalized informal trading in a mobility node has triggered transport route diversion and supported the growth of small-scale informal transport.
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A multidimensional understanding of poverty includes the access of poor groups to decision‐making processes based on their needs and aspirations. However, the realisation of this ‘right to make decisions’ faces multiple obstacles. Over... more
A multidimensional understanding of poverty includes the access of poor groups to decision‐making processes based on their needs and aspirations. However, the realisation of this ‘right to make decisions’ faces multiple obstacles. Over the last 20 years in Indonesia, in a context of a more democratic political environment and policy decentralisation, poverty alleviation policies have followed institutional arrangements to provide communities with opportunities for greater participation in development projects. Poverty data show a clear improvement in the living conditions of urban poor citizens in Indonesia; however, it is unclear whether poor communities have become stronger and more independent from public grants and better able to make their own decisions. This research analysed two urban poor communities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and found that some communities working on participatory poverty alleviation strategies still face obstacles to becoming more independent and making their own decisions because they remain part of an historical legacy of top‐down approaches to poverty, highly dependent on government support and working only within ‘invited spaces’. Conversely, those communities with more limited access to government funding have been more innovative in their strategies and have created ‘invented spaces’ for collective action that allows them to be more independent and empowered.
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Abstract Studies of informal street vending in the Global South often investigate grassroots resistance to formal and informal power as a collective and organised phenomenon. In our case study in the megacity of Dhaka, we show collective... more
Abstract Studies of informal street vending in the Global South often investigate grassroots resistance to formal and informal power as a collective and organised phenomenon. In our case study in the megacity of Dhaka, we show collective resistance is not possible due to an overwhelming threat from a coercive state. Informal vendors must resort to other tactics to appropriate public space to preserve their livelihoods. This is achieved by street vendors entering into locally embedded social and economic relations with agents of the state working informally to extort regular payments from them in return for access to public space. These local relations work in opposition to the neoliberalising ambitions of the state to clear and sanitise public space. Vendors look to local police and petty criminals for livelihood security rather than each other. This atomisation, reinforced by the culture of suspicion and kinship insularity, prevents vendors from organising across local boundaries to press claims for greater protection from the state. We argue that in cases where formal power is acting informally, this need to be taken into account to understand the social and economic realities of informal trade and the subsequent obstacles to collective action by the poor in cities such as Dhaka.
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Abstract With their walls, fences and barriers, gated communities, which have proliferated over the last three decades, are now a familiar element of the urban landscape worldwide. It can be argued, however, that certain negative social... more
Abstract With their walls, fences and barriers, gated communities, which have proliferated over the last three decades, are now a familiar element of the urban landscape worldwide. It can be argued, however, that certain negative social consequences have attended their expansion, in particular “social segregation” between gated communities and non-gated neighbouring communities. To what extent do gated communities exacerbate social differences by inhibiting social interactions between their residents and the population living in surrounding areas? This paper analyses the social practices and viewpoints of residents of a gated community located in Mendoza (Argentina). It examines how these residents interact with members of the non-gated communities that surround them. It uses a qualitative research methodology with a case study strategy in order to analyse the social practices and viewpoints of the residents of the gated community, the social practices and viewpoints of members of the surrounding communities and the contribution (or otherwise) of these social practices to segregation. The analysis of a selected group of “neighbourhood social practices” undertaken by gated community residents shows that most such practices contribute to segregation – which can therefore largely be considered as an intended consequence of the viewpoints held by social actors but also on occasion as an unintended consequence.
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Gated communities represent an urban phenomenon that is spreading all over the world. This paper presents evidence of what the literature says about the link between gated communities and urban social segregation, showing that the... more
Gated communities represent an urban phenomenon that is spreading all over the world. This paper presents evidence of what the literature says about the link between gated communities and urban social segregation, showing that the development of gated communities ...
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Indonesia has a long history of policies and programmes for housing and neighbourhood improvement. In the last five decades several approaches to housing have been implemented to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable... more
Indonesia has a long history of policies and programmes for housing and neighbourhood improvement. In the last five decades several approaches to housing have been implemented to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable groups. Since 1999, with policy decentralisation, the government has made some institutional changes to promote more decentralised policy-making. The literature and empirical evidence seem to suggest that this decentralisation process has contributed to some changes in policy-making, shifting from a top-down approach in planning and housing policies to a bottom-up approach focused on community development. However, this chapter shows that this shift has partially taken place and there is a hybrid form of governance combining top-down with bottom-up strategies.
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El presente artículo se basa en la presentación realizada por la autora en la apertura del Seminario Internacional sobre Encerramiento Residencial, organizado por la Escuela de Trabajo Social y Desarrollo Humano de la Universidad del... more
El presente artículo se basa en la presentación realizada por la autora en la apertura del Seminario Internacional sobre Encerramiento Residencial, organizado por la Escuela de Trabajo Social y Desarrollo Humano de la Universidad del Valle (Cali, Colombia) los días 13 y 14 de octubre de 2015.
A multidimensional understanding of poverty includes the access of poor groups to decisionmaking processes based on their needs and aspirations. However, the realisation of this ‘right to make decisions’ faces multiple obstacles. Over the... more
A multidimensional understanding of poverty includes the access of poor groups to decisionmaking
processes based on their needs and aspirations. However, the realisation of this ‘right to make decisions’
faces multiple obstacles. Over the last 20 years in Indonesia, in a context of a more democratic political environment
and policy decentralisation, poverty alleviation policies have followed institutional arrangements to provide
communities with opportunities for greater participation in development projects. Poverty data show a clear
improvement in the living conditions of urban poor citizens in Indonesia; however, it is unclear whether poor
communities have become stronger and more independent from public grants and better able to make their
own decisions. This research analysed two urban poor communities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and found that
some communities working on participatory poverty alleviation strategies still face obstacles to becoming more
independent and making their own decisions because they remain part of an historical legacy of top-down
approaches to poverty, highly dependent on government support and working only within ‘invited spaces’. Conversely,
those communities with more limited access to government funding have been more innovative in their
strategies and have created ‘invented spaces’ for collective action that allows them to be more independent and
empowered.
processes based on their needs and aspirations. However, the realisation of this ‘right to make decisions’
faces multiple obstacles. Over the last 20 years in Indonesia, in a context of a more democratic political environment
and policy decentralisation, poverty alleviation policies have followed institutional arrangements to provide
communities with opportunities for greater participation in development projects. Poverty data show a clear
improvement in the living conditions of urban poor citizens in Indonesia; however, it is unclear whether poor
communities have become stronger and more independent from public grants and better able to make their
own decisions. This research analysed two urban poor communities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and found that
some communities working on participatory poverty alleviation strategies still face obstacles to becoming more
independent and making their own decisions because they remain part of an historical legacy of top-down
approaches to poverty, highly dependent on government support and working only within ‘invited spaces’. Conversely,
those communities with more limited access to government funding have been more innovative in their
strategies and have created ‘invented spaces’ for collective action that allows them to be more independent and
empowered.
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This article tells the story of a successful community-driven practice for waste management in Yogyakarta. Sukunan community in the peri-urban area of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, has been implemented this innovative practice for 13 years. The... more
This article tells the story of a successful community-driven practice for waste management in Yogyakarta. Sukunan community in the peri-urban area of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, has been implemented this innovative practice for 13 years. The model has been replicated in other cities in Indonesia and other countries.
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"Constructing Mexico City: Colonial Conflicts over Culture, Space, and Authority examines the spatial, material, and cultural dimensions of life in eighteenth-century Mexico City, through programs that colonial leaders created to... more
"Constructing Mexico City: Colonial Conflicts over Culture, Space, and Authority examines the spatial, material, and cultural dimensions of life in eighteenth-century Mexico City, through programs that colonial leaders created to renovate and reshape urban environments. Focusing particularly on the administration of Viceroy Juan Vicente de Güemes Pacheco y Padilla, the second count of Revillagigedo (1789-1794), this book considers how the Spanish Bourbon reforms were re-imagined at the local level in Mexico City, within the context of the built environment and the people who define, occupied, and used space within the colonial capital. The plans and ideas of Revillagigedo place him within a broader network of colonial bureaucrats who sought to improve and transform the Spanish Empire in the age of Enlightenment. As a representative of these Bourbon reforms, Revillagigedo lived among the subjects of his plans. However, these urban groups: Indians, Spanish elites, and those of mixed race background, were not simply passive recipients of his agenda, but contested and questioned his vision of a modern urban milieu. By focusing on the tensions between the colonial state and its citizens within the realm of urban planning and reform, this study reveals various points of conflict and discord not only over how various social groups defined and shared the public spaces in the city, but also how they understood their place within a wider colonial system. Bailey Glasco, drawing on research from numerous archives in Mexico City, sheds new light on the critical roles that urban planning and renewal played in the social and cultural dynamics of the city, as well as how it anticipated early definitions of modern Mexican identity. "
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The chapter analyses the contribution of Teresa Caldeira to Urban Studies.
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Article about Nordelta in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the recent discrimination issues against workers.
Article in Spanish. Published 11/12/2018 https://www.pagina12.com.ar/161337-y-el-estado-donde-esta
Article in Spanish. Published 11/12/2018 https://www.pagina12.com.ar/161337-y-el-estado-donde-esta
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Gated communities represent an urban phenomenon that is spreading all over the world. This paper presents evidence of what the literature says about the link between gated communities and urban social segregation, showing that the... more
Gated communities represent an urban phenomenon that is spreading all over the world. This paper presents evidence of what the literature says about the link between gated communities and urban social segregation, showing that the development of gated communities contributes to segregationist tendencies in the city. It suggests the use of structuration theory as a theoretical framework to study the link between gated communities and segregation. A case study from an intermediate city in Argentina is presented. The paper provides the perceptions and opinions of the residents of the gated community as well as the outside community and shows that this segregationist process has two sides and that both groups of people feel segregated and discriminated against. Therefore, urban social segregation is addressed in relation to gated communities, considering the opinions and perceptions of the people living there as well as in the surrounding community, to answer the main question of the paper: who segregates whom?
The paper examines gated communities as an object of study that has received intense scholarly attention from diverse disciplines over the last 10 years. The many conference presentations and published papers on the subject have not,... more
The paper examines gated communities as an object of study that has received intense scholarly attention from diverse disciplines over the last 10 years. The many conference presentations and published papers on the subject have not, however, always contributed to a cohesive body of knowledge. We suggest in this paper that clearer frameworks for empirical investigations are needed; not only for specific disciplines, but also for providing an interdisciplinary perspective. The paper focuses on methodology: first highlighting three different approaches to the analysis of urban fragmentation (social, spatial and institutional); and second, outlining a framework for interdisciplinary analysis. In the latter part, we illustrate the connections that may be made between the analyses of the social, spatial and institutional fragmentation effects and causes of gated communities and suggest ways of handling phenomenological as well as linguistic complexity in this multi-disciplinary area of urban scholarship.
With their walls, fences and barriers, gated communities, which have proliferated over the last three decades, are now a familiar element of the urban landscape worldwide. It can be argued, however, that certain negative social... more
With their walls, fences and barriers, gated communities, which have proliferated over the last three decades, are now a familiar element of the urban landscape worldwide. It can be argued, however, that certain negative social consequences have attended their expansion, in particular “social segregation” between gated communities and non-gated neighbouring communities. To what extent do gated communities exacerbate social differences by inhibiting social interactions between their residents and the population living in surrounding areas? This paper analyses the social practices and viewpoints of residents of a gated community located in Mendoza (Argentina). It examines how these residents interact with members of the non-gated communities that surround them. It uses a qualitative research methodology with a case study strategy in order to analyse the social practices and viewpoints of the residents of the gated community, the social practices and viewpoints of members of the surrounding communities and the contribution (or otherwise) of these social practices to segregation. The analysis of a selected group of “neighbourhood social practices” undertaken by gated community residents shows that most such practices contribute to segregation – which can therefore largely be considered as an intended consequence of the viewpoints held by social actors but also on occasion as an unintended consequence.
... (1999) Historia de la Vida Privada en Argentina. Tomo III: La Argentina entre Multitudes y Soledades. De los años Treinta a la Actualidad. F. Sabatini ,G. Cáceres. ... Housing Studies, 255 - 271; 1 onward links are available for this... more
... (1999) Historia de la Vida Privada en Argentina. Tomo III: La Argentina entre Multitudes y Soledades. De los años Treinta a la Actualidad. F. Sabatini ,G. Cáceres. ... Housing Studies, 255 - 271; 1 onward links are available for this reference. CrossRef. S. Graham ,S. Marvin. ...
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While transport hubs function largely as mobility interchanges, they also serve as spaces of conflict and negotiation, particularly when informal livelihoods of poor populations take place in public spaces like streets and transport... more
While transport hubs function largely as mobility interchanges,
they also serve as spaces of conflict and negotiation, particularly
when informal livelihoods of poor populations take place in public
spaces like streets and transport terminals. This condition poses challenges
to urban planners and transport officials on how to promote inclusive
cities without sacrificing urban mobility. We examine how informal
trading has become embedded in the land-use patterns of Baclaran,
a strategic transport hub in Metro Manila. Three factors emerge as critical
in understanding how and why informal trading thrives in Baclaran:
a) the presence of commuters as captive market; b) mixed land use and
activity agglomeration; and c) multi-layered socio-spatial relations. Our
empirical data also shows how normalized informal trading in a mobility
node has triggered transport route diversion and supported the growth
of small-scale informal transport.
they also serve as spaces of conflict and negotiation, particularly
when informal livelihoods of poor populations take place in public
spaces like streets and transport terminals. This condition poses challenges
to urban planners and transport officials on how to promote inclusive
cities without sacrificing urban mobility. We examine how informal
trading has become embedded in the land-use patterns of Baclaran,
a strategic transport hub in Metro Manila. Three factors emerge as critical
in understanding how and why informal trading thrives in Baclaran:
a) the presence of commuters as captive market; b) mixed land use and
activity agglomeration; and c) multi-layered socio-spatial relations. Our
empirical data also shows how normalized informal trading in a mobility
node has triggered transport route diversion and supported the growth
of small-scale informal transport.
Research Interests:
Slum dwellers are active agents and makers of the city often ignored by other stakeholders. This chapter utilises primary and secondary data collected over two years to analyse the trajectory, strategies and tactics of Kalijawi, a... more
Slum dwellers are active agents and makers of the city often ignored by other stakeholders. This chapter utilises primary and secondary data collected over two years to analyse the trajectory, strategies and tactics of Kalijawi, a recently created network of slum residents in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, fighting for their needs to be heard. The organisational skills and active citizenship demonstrated by the membership of Kalijawi, enables them to undertake strategic actions and form alliances to improve their lives and contribute to the city. While the lack of formal land tenure represents an obstacle for them to negotiate with the government, this shared vulnerability is their starting point to come together as a collective claiming for their rights. The key finding is that over their five years of existence, Kalijawi has developed tactics to achieve internal strength and external visibility as producers of their city, ultimately being able to improve their material and non-material living conditions. This case reveals that, despite the lack of formal land tenure, slum dwellers can be active and engaged citizens in their cities.
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In the last two decades in Indonesia, community engagement and urban activism have become significant. This has changed how citizens express their demands. This is encouraged by the government since Reformasi but it is also the result of... more
In the last two decades in Indonesia, community engagement and urban activism have become significant. This has changed how citizens express their demands. This is encouraged by the government since Reformasi but it is also the result of growing frustrations with inequalities in the city. This article analyses the activism of two urban groups in Yogyakarta and examines the similarities and differences between them. One group comprises ‘deprived’ citizens who live in informal settlements and the other is made up of a diverse group of ‘discontented’ citizens who feel their right to the city is undermined. These groups aspire to a more just city through collective action, though their origins and strategies differ.
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Manuel Castells spoke of the urban as a unit of collective consumption, yet much of the politics of collective consumption he documented was evident in the suburbs. The tendency for suburbs of most complexions to lack services and... more
Manuel Castells spoke of the urban as a unit of collective consumption, yet much of the politics of collective consumption he documented was evident in the suburbs. The tendency for suburbs of most complexions to lack services and amenities has been and continues to be a focus of politics in Europe. In Spain, as elsewhere in Europe, a grassroots politics surrounding the making good of these deficits in basic services and amenities has broadened and formalised somewhat to become part of a competitive local representative politics concerned with shaping a sense of place. Here we consider this legacy of grassroots politics as it has played out more recently in a politics of place making in Getafe and Badalona in metropolitan Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. In conclusion, we suggest that this enduring suburban question—of making the suburban urban—places them at the centre of contemporary metropolitan governance and politics. However, it also raises further issues for study—notably, the scalar politics in which suburban place making is empowered or constrained, the role of political parties and individual politicians on the place-making process, and the point at which grassroots politics of collective consumption becomes urban entrepreneurialism.