The Production of Urban Space by Violence and its Aftermath in Jakarta and Kota Ambon, Indonesia
Violence has an enormous potential impact on the production of urban space. This article presents an analysis of how violence has made an impact on Indonesian cities since 1998. Using case material from communal violence in Kota Ambon, and lynching and vigilantism in Jakarta, the article addresses the question what impact did violence have on the spatial restructuring of some Indonesian cities and, conversely, – assuming that the people who used violence are slowly relinquishing its use – what impact does the restoration of law and order have on urban space? How enduring are some of the underlying, historical patterns of violence and do many of them still exist, hidden under the surface, today?