Chantalle Elisabeth RIETDIJK, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
Wen-Cheng WANG, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
In the last decennium assemblage theory has secured its place in urban studies as a way to study the complex nature of urbanisation. In this study the suitability of assemblage theory for critical inquiry into urban space in Southern urbanities is demonstrated by applying visual analysis, in order to follow the transformation of the streetscape of Jalan Wahid Hasyim in Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Images retrieved from Google Streetview covering a period of 8 years, from 2013 until 2021, are analysed to understand the complexity of urban change in this city. On first sight, neoliberal urban development is omnipresent, as over the years banks, hotels and chain stores came to dominate the streetscape. However, the complexity of economic structures and interwovenness of social classes becomes clear when focus is shifted towards the informal practices and street life. We argue that through thick description and visual analysis, the relations and interactions between citizens belonging to different social classes are revealed. This case study shows that daily life is not fully embedded in neoliberal logic (yet) and that urban life displays overlap and dependency between classes. This dependency contributes to the smooth functioning of the city and allows urban dwellers to shape the city in an other-than-neoliberal way. We argue that by applying assemblage theory the multiplicity present in the functioning and development of the city can be understood at a deeper level than solely by policy or economic analysis, because the socio-cultural context of Southern urbanities differs from Northern cities and is more prominent in shaping the urban environment. Furthermore, the conception of the city as a rhizome as defined by Deleuze and Guattari (1988) allows for a non-hierarchical analysis of interactions and practices present in the city, which in turn fosters the conception of alternative urban futures by appreciating the distinct form of Southern cities.
Mots clés : informality|neoliberal urban development|visual analysis|rhizome|Southern urbanities
A102978CR