Clara Siagian’s research while affiliated with University of Indonesia and other places

This article explores the contours of modernization in the unmaking and remaking of homes among evicted and resettled families in highrise housing. We examine the trajectories of forced eviction by drawing upon interviews with 17 individuals from nine evicted families who have transitioned from living in informal settlements to highrise social housing (rusunawa) in Jakarta. Drawing on two strands of literature-'developmental idealism and the family' from population studies and the critical geographies of 'homemaking'-we argue that the demolition of houses is but an initial event in a long, quiet and subtle, yet profoundly defining, process of 'upgrading' families as part of 'improving' society, according to developmental logic. The disciplining of the urban poor does not end with the demolition of their houses, but rather continues as part of the fulfilment of shelter. This article attends to the slow unravelling of home hidden and embedded in post-eviction everyday lives, which are often overlooked because of the overt and violent brutality of forced eviction. While eviction can be seen as the violent visual expression of developmentalism, we argue that the relocation in rusunawa is where this ideal permeates into daily domestic life, making mundane activities a battleground for different ideals of 'home'.

Jumlah anak-anak yang tinggal di area perkotaan di Indonesia terus meningkat. Terlepas dari fakta bahwa anak-anak di daerah perkotaan memiliki kesejahteraan yang lebih baik dibandingkan dengan anak-anak di perdesaan, kelompok-kelompok yang terpinggirkan masih kesulitan untuk bertahan hidup dan berkembang. Masyarakat miskin dan kelompok rentan di daerah perkotaan, yang mana hampir sepertiganya adalah anak-anak dan kaum muda, memiliki akses yang terbatas ke layanan berkualitas dan peluang yang lebih kecil untuk mendapatkan kualitas hidup yang lebih baik. Studi ini melihat karakteristik, kesejahteraan, dan pengalaman hidup anak-anak dan kaum muda sebagai masukan agar kebijakan dan program untuk mewujudkan mitos peluang di kota menjadi suatu kenyataan bagi semua anak dan kaum muda, terutama mereka yang terpinggirkan. Publikasi ini disusun oleh UNICEF dan PUSKAPA, didukung oleh Kementerian Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional/Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional (Bappenas).

The number of children in urban areas in Indonesia has continued to increase. Despite the fact that children in urban areas fare better on several measures of well-being compared to those in rural areas, marginalized groups still fail to survive and thrive. Access to services and opportunities for a better quality of life in cities is limited for the urban poor and vulnerable, of which children and young people account for almost a third. This study explores children’s and young people’s characteristics, well-being, and lived experiences in Indonesian cities. This study also provides a critical foundation for policy and programming to turn the myth of urban opportunity into a reality for all children and young people, particularly those who are marginalized. This publication was developed by PUSKAPA with UNICEF, supported by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas).

If you want to work ethically with children in your research in Indonesia and/or are curious about how children can meaningfully participate in research, this handbook is for you. This handbook was developed by a group of multidisciplinary research and program practitioners who are of Indonesian origin or have worked for a significant period of time in different parts of Indonesia. Not only is this handbook informed by years of fieldwork, but it has also gone through consultations with several researchers, academicians, program implementers, and development partners, all working on issues revolving child protection and wellbeing. We hope this handbook will be relevant to people working in or with those capacities.

Ini adalah buku pegangan mengenai cara-cara etis dalam melibatkan anak-anak dalam penelitian Anda di Indonesia dan bagaimana agar anak-anak dapat berpartisipasi secara bermakna dalam penelitian Anda. Buku ini dikembangkan oleh sekelompok peneliti multidisipliner dan praktisi program dari Indonesia atau yang telah lama bekerja di berbagai daerah di Indonesia. Selain didasarkan pada pengalaman kerja lapangan bertahun-tahun, buku ini telah melalui pembahasan dan konsultasi dengan teman-teman peneliti, pelaksana program, dan mitra pembangunan, semua bekerja dalam isu perlindungan dan kualitas hidup anak. Kami harap buku ini juga bermanfaat bagi pihak-pihak yang bekerja dalam atau dengan kapasitas tersebut.

This Viewpoint discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Indonesian government’s response, on children and young people. By adopting a geographical and socio-spatial analysis the paper discusses the extent to which the response to the crisis has aggravated the detrimental impacts of the emergency on children. We argue that the government’s decision to transition to the ‘new normal’ was premature, endangering marginalized children who have less power, weaker voices, and a lack of access to the necessary resources to protect themselves. The paper focuses on children’s vulnerability and inequality during the crisis, and demands careful consideration for the governance of emergency response and recovery policies in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned life upside down across the world. The pandemic has pushed governments, citizens, and many professionals to change how they do things, including research. While some see these changes as an opportunity to make data collection cheaper, faster, and more accessible, others argue that the limitations of online surveys and interviews might compromise more than just research validity. Despite its seemingly broad reach, online data collection provides data only on specific demographics. For those whose research is intentionally designed to improve policy for off-the-radar issues, such as violence, exclusion, invisibility, and injustice, it is imperative that research provides meaningful insights about marginalized populations. This paper does not provide a technical how-to manual for conducting research during and after the pandemic. Instead, it discusses what to consider in the design and implementation of research projects, especially digitally-based ones. This paper reviews the literature on different methodologies, and explores the ethical and technical issues that arise while conducting research in turbulent times like the present. Lastly, it examines the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches and, when appropriate, discusses issues related to access and the production of knowledge in the digital era.