Pustaka Ilmiah Universitas Padjadjaran

Abstrak

Jakarta : The Growth And Decay Of The City

This paper attempts to describe and discuss the phenomena of Jakarta and its
hinterland using the perspective of urban anthropology. The city will be analyzed in the
framework of the two giant paradigms in urban sociology, the ecological and politicaleconomy.

The discussion departs on the introduction of urban ecology and political
economy paradigms which has been followed by Jakarta in its growth. Begin with the
construction of old Batavia during the colonial time the city grows in the rules of urban
ecology. Yet, it grows turn to follow the political economic model as it becomes the
capital city under the Republic of Indonesia.

Since the time, it experiences the massive growth eventually beyond its natural thus lead Jakarta to enter the decaying process through several problems in settlements, transportation, and environmental damage. The damage has been showed by the physical change as well as the political change contested in the city. At the end the paper attempts to show which of the paradigms has a dominant influence to the city as the contested ground of ecological, political, and economic battle.