Indonesia Update 2023: Governing urban Indonesia
Thank you speakers, attendees, staff and volunteers who made the 40th Indonesia Update such a success
About the Indonesia Update series
The Indonesia Update is largest annual conference on Indonesian society outside of Indonesia and dates back to 1983. Held in September, it is organised by The Australian National University’s Indonesia Project, with support from ANU Department of Political and Social Change, as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ANU Indonesia Project wishes to thank The Australian National University and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their substantial and continuing support.
The 40th Indonesia Update: Governing urban Indonesia
Indonesia is now a majority urban country, with almost 60 per cent of the population living in urban areas. This transition brings with it challenges typical of urbanisation, such as managing garbage, flooding, traffic, and public transport.
As well as examining these issues, the conference discussed urban design and planning, the rise of gated communities, the politics of urban security, and kampung clearance and evictions. It also looked at how politics shapes urban governance, examining why some cities are pioneering better service delivery and public amenities for their citizens, while others remain mired in corruption, their streets filled with potholes.
The 2023 Indonesia update was convened by Professor Edward Aspinall from the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, The Australian National University (ANU), and Dr Amalinda Savirani from the Department of Politics and Government, Universitas Gadjah Mada. It was held in-person at ANU in Canberra and online.
Recordings
Opening address and Political Update
Economic Update
Sessions 1 & 2
Session 3 & 4
Session 5
Session 6
Sessions and slides
Opening address
Helen Sullivan (The Australian National University) and His Excellency Siswo Pramono (Indonesian Ambassador to Australia)
Political Update
“Jokowi End Game”: Cooptation, coercion, and the narrowing field of political contestation
Speaker: Jacqui Baker (Murdoch University) slides here
Discussant: Liam Gammon (The Australian National University)
Economic Update
Trade policy in Indonesia: Between pragmatism, ambivalence and nationalism
Speaker: Arianto Patunru (The Australian National University) slides here
Discussant: Masyita Crystallin (Ministry of Finance, Republic of Indonesia) slides here
Session 1: Keynote address
Governing urban Indonesia
Abidin Kusno (York University) slides here
Session 2: Comparative and demographic perspectives
Urban planning in Indonesia and its contribution to Southern planning
Sonia Roitman (The University of Queensland) slides here
Urbanisation in Indonesia: Demographic changes and spatial patterns, 2000 - 2020
Meirina Ayumi Malamassam (National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)) slides here
Session 3: Governing urban Indonesia
Patterns of urban reform in Indonesia: The role of political coalitions and mobilisation
Mochamad Mustafa (The Asia Foundation), slides here
Local budgets in urban Indonesia: Different characteristics need different fiscal policies
Erman Rahman (The Asia Foundation) slides here
Session 4: The politics of urban land and relocation
Kampung Susun: Collective strategies of resistance in the struggle for housing rights in Jakarta
Elisa Sutanudjaja (Rujak Center for Urban Studies) slides here
Housing at an impasse: Living in a state of protracted transition in rental social housing in Jakarta
Clara Siagian (The Australian National University & PUSKAPA, Universitas Indonesia) slides here
Session 5: Governing the urban environment
The political economy of flood management in Indonesian cities
Yogi Setya Permana (Universiteit Leiden & National Research and Innovation Agency (Brin)) slides here
Causes of and policy responses to traffic congestion in urban Indonesia: What can we learn?
Muhammad Halley Yudhistira (Universitas Indonesia) slides here
Governing garbage: Solid waste management reform in Surabaya
Nur Azizah (The Australian National University) slides here
Session 6: The new urban landscape
The view from the gated community: Public infrastructure and services from the perspective of the middle class in South Tangerang
Corry Elyda (freelance writer) slides here
Urban security governance in contemporary Jakarta
Ian Wilson (Murdoch University) slides here
Public space in the city: Civil society perspectives
Rita Padawangi (Singapore University of Social Sciences) slides here
Closing address
Challenges of city government: A mayor’s view
Bima Arya Sugiarto (Mayor of Bogor, Indonesia) slides here
Final remarks
Edward Aspinall (The Australian National University)
Amalinda Savirani (Universitas Gadjah Mada)
Media Coverage
Politics drain into Indonesia’s flood management, Yogi Setya Permana for East Asia Forum
Indonesian democracy’s biggest challenge, Edward Aspinall for The Canberra Times
Can Indonesian democracy keep up with urbanization, Amalinda Savirani for The Jakarta Post
