Urban Activism in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Deprived and Discontented Citizens Demanding a More Just City

Abstract

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.