On the 17th of October Following Forest member Bosman Batubara gave a presentation which identified three distinct yet related qualitative moments of landscape subsumption under capital based on how value is produced and extracted in the location of Indonesia’s new capital city. Logging extraction started in the 1960s in that  area provides an example of…

During the Week of Indonesia-Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER), Dr. Kei Otsuki, Dr. Ari Susanti, and Dr. Rijanta participated in an insightful session addressing Indonesia’s ongoing urban transformation and the pressing need for inclusive development. Hosted by WINNER, an initiative involving institutions like BRIN, ALMI, KNAW, Nuffic Southeast Asia, and government bodies from both nations,…

On August 22, 2024, Dr. Kei Otsuki delivered a guest lecture at BRIN (The National Research and Innovation Agency) focusing on the ecological, social, and economic impacts of Indonesia’s new capital, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN). Titled “Following Frontiers of the Forest City,” her lecture provided critical insights into the complex dynamics shaping this ambitious development…

On August 19th, Dr. Kei Otsuki held a public lecture at Mulawarman University, sharing insights into the sustainability and inclusivity of Indonesia’s capital relocation to Kalimantan. Dr. Otsuki’s lecture, grounded in a multidisciplinary approach developed through Indonesia-Dutch research collaboration, examined how urbanization in Nusantara might be planned in a way that would benefit both local…

On August 7th, Dr. Kei Otsuki, and Dr. Ari Susanti of the Following Frontiers project, participated in a collaborative discussion at the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) exploring the development challenges posed by Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara. Hosted by UGM’s Faculty of Geography and Faculty of Forestry, the event examined the complex environmental and social…

Following Frontiers team members Vandy Yoga Swara, Rizki Adriadi Ghiffari, Agung Jauhari, and Dr. Ari Susanti presented their research projects at the EuroSEAS 2024 conference, hosted from 24-26 July by the University of Amsterdam (UvA). This event celebrates a legacy of Southeast Asian studies that dates back decades, with roots in the work of UvA…

On July 10, Femke van Noorloos presented her insights on “Urban Fair Transitions” at a LANDac Summer School. The Summer School focused on social justice within global environmental transitions and looked at the pressing reality that climate initiatives, designed for global benefits, often impose disproportionate burdens on marginalized communities. This is a reminder of the…

08-09 July 2024  The Forest City Research Project is a four year project that explores broad social and environmental impacts of the new capital city and its urban frontiers in East Kalimantan of Indonesia. On July 8-9, 2024, the Consortium successfully conducted a two-day Writeshop in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, as the inauguration of the new…

Join us for a Workshop-Writeshop: “Exploring the Impacts of Indonesia’s Capital Relocation to Kalimantan” Date: July 8-9, 2024  –  Location: Utrecht, exact location T.B.D. About the Event: “Following Frontiers of the Forest City” is a 5-year research project investigating the institutional, financial and physical implications of the monumental capital city relocation, not only for East…

Our postdoctoral researcher, Bosman Batubara, along with his colleagues, has published a paper discussing the formation of an urban poor settlement known as ‘kampungkota’ in North Jakarta, Indonesia. This was Indonesia’s existing Capital City before moving to Nusantara in Kalimantan in mid-2024. The paper highlights the tension between direct actions and electoral politics. The paper…