Paper short abstract:

This paper examines how environmental projects are managed by Javanese kampung leaders and residents and how these programs support Surabaya's image as a leading 'smart city'.

Paper long abstract:

In the urban context of Indonesia, the kampung is a 'village in the city'. While in the past, these settlements were associated with poverty and backwardness, the kampung of the 21st century has become a place of refuge from bustling city life, a safe haven and a place of nostalgia for an ever busier middle class. Kampung residents have become 'smart' citizens and cooperation partners in government and development programs.

In Surabaya in East Java, environment and sustainability are key issues in city planning and development strategies. While big infrastructure projects are usually implemented outside the kampung areas, the city government has targeted kampungs for localized and small-scale projects that deal with pollution, water resilience and waste management. Although government organisations and NGOs are usually the initiators of such programs, inter-kampung networking and competition have a strong influence on their progress and directions take. Moreover, the success or failure of such projects largely depends on individual kampung leaders, their status and networks within and beyond the community and their relations with local bureaucracies.

In this paper, I will explore the political and social dynamics within kampungs and in relation to the state and its institutions. I will also discuss how these developments are embedded in Surabaya's ambitious status and vision as a leading 'smart city' in Indonesia