PUD 8: Placemaking for Social Interaction & PUD Series Summary
RDI UREF conducted the final series of Pop Up Discussion (PUD) Series on 20 November 2020. This eight PUD features three speakers from the RDI UREF Team, Dr Akino Tahir, Risye Dwiyani, M.Eng, dan Dr Nino Viartasiwi. This PUD was moderated by Ayu Prestasia, M.Sc.
The first speaker, Risye Dwiyani, explains about Placemaking for Social interaction, an action research conducted with refugees and local youth in Makassar. This research attempts to find solutions related to the current phenomenon of refugees in Indonesia who experience some challenges in terms of social integration. This research is expected to be the first step for other alternative solutions in managing urban refugees in Indonesia. Furthermore, Risye asserts that cities are at the forefront in dealing with all forms of migration and its subsequent impacts. The global agenda also puts forward the principle of ‘leaving no one behind,’ or inclusive cities, which serves as both a guideline and a more inclusive approach to urban development. During the course of its implementation, the research went through a significant change in its design due to the relocation of refugee youth participants who lived in the selected location. As a result, the Placemaking model that had been previously designed by the team could not be implemented. This reflects the nature of an action research approach that requires the flexibility in its design and implementation.
The second speaker, Dr Akino Tahir, thoroughly explains the design of research activities in Makassar. Placemaking method has two main elements, namely Kikigaki and Machiaruki. Machiaruki means walking in the city, while Kikigaki is the combination of two meanings; Kiki means listening and Gaki, which means writing. Machiaruki is a method commonly used to explore spaces in the city. This action research encourages participants to define or compile an action plan that allows them to transform the chosen place and enables them to interact within that place easily. Several important factors were revealed throughout the process of this action research. These factors must be considered in designing action research with Placemaking method so that it may foster social interaction between local youth and refugee youth. The factors are related to the profile of public spaces in the city, the profile of local communities and refugees, the diversity and dynamics of participants, the level of confidence of the facilitators, and the flexibility of the proposed activities.
The third speaker, Dr Nino Viartasiwi, delivers reflections and lessons learned from the 7 Pop Up Discussions conducted over the last four months, which were attended by approximately 1,100 participants. Dr Nino mentioned the most frequently asked topics or themes by the participants: 1) the status of refugees who have transited in Indonesia, 2) the legal framework for refugees and the national government’s response in handling refugees, and 3) cooperation and collaboration between local governments, central government and non-governmental organizations. Other topics include challenges faced by NGOs, refugees’ self-actualization, access to work and education, and lastly, strategies for refugee advocacy to the government.
The main conclusion from our PUD series is that the management of refugees in Indonesia is still on an ad hoc basis, revolves in humanitarian sentiment (emergency based) and still relies on the role of non-state actors, not on the role of the government. Several aspects must be altered: our perspective that still sees this problem as a humanitarian issue and not an urgent issue that needs a long-term solution. A shift in perspective must be implemented at the level of policymakers, legislators and also the community. Dr Nino suggests that the refugee issues in Indonesia will remain a critical discourse, not only in the present but also in the future.
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