IS4 Webinar| Social movements and coastal reclamation in Indonesia

Coastal reclamation, the process of creating land by infilling coastal waters or wetlands, offers a possible bulwark against rising sea-levels associated with climate change. Yet, reclamation also demands wrenching distributional trade-offs that often favor developers and property owners over poor fishing communities. As a result, battles over reclamation have erupted in dozens of Indonesian cities in recent years. In this paper, Dr Ryan Tans proposes a theory to explain variation in the effectiveness of anti-reclamation movements. He argues that geographically and economically diverse coalitions are well-suited to mobilize mass demonstrations and coordinate voters to oppose reclamation, while local and class-based coalitions resort to litigation due to their relative weakness. Based on primary source documents, local news archives, and fieldwork in Makassar and Bali, his findings suggest that reclamation projects succeed when elite coalitions of politicians, developers, and local businesses bulldoze class-based opposition. Under such conditions, reclamation is likely to accelerate a process of “climate gentrification” in which climate change adaptations benefit the rich and deepen the vulnerability of the poor.

Speakers
We warmly invite you to join Dr Ryan Tans (Northern Arizona University), in conversation with A/Prof Rita Padawangi (Singapore University of Social Sciences) to discuss anti-reclamation movements in Indonesia. The conversation will be moderated by A/Prof Jeremy Menchik (Boston University).

About the Indonesian Social Science Seminar Series (IS4)
Sponsored by the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC), the Cornell Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) and the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV), this virtual seminar series brings together social science experts from across the globe to discuss pressing issues facing Indonesia. In addition to providing in-depth scholarly analysis of social issues in Indonesia, this series will foster new opportunities for networking between those working in Indonesia and around the world. More.

Registration
Please register here.

Time
11:00 AM in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney.
01.00 AM in Amsterdam, Leiden.