East Kalimantan, Febuary 8–14, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) research team conducted fieldwork in East Kalimantan to examine socio-cultural transformation and environmental justice in the context of Indonesia’s capital relocation project, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN).
Recognizing that the implications of the new capital extend beyond its administrative boundaries, the team has expanded the locus of research to encompass East Kalimantan more broadly. This approach enables a deeper understanding of interconnected processes affecting communities, ecosystems, and governance structures across the province.
“If you only focus on the IKN, you dwarf the scope of your research on these issues,” said the Deputy Director of Environment at Mulawarman University. “The environmental and socio-cultural impacts are provincial in scale and must be examined within a wider regional context.”
Beyond geographic scope, led by Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, the CESASS team emphasizes that meaningful fieldwork demands more than simply hearing accounts from stakeholders. It requires attentive and ethical listening—an approach that honors diverse experiences, acknowledges power asymmetries, and respects the lived realities of local and Indigenous communities. The team underscores that research in contexts of rapid transformation must be conducted with sensitivity, reflexivity, and accountability.
The study explores land-use change, extractive industries, infrastructural expansion, migration flows, and shifting socio-economic relations. It also addresses questions of distributive and procedural justice, particularly concerning environmental governance, local livelihoods, and cultural continuity.
Through stakeholder interviews, community dialogues, participatory observation, and policy analysis, CESASS aims to contribute evidence-based insights to academic discourse and public policy discussions on equitable and sustainable development.
Reporter: CESASS Team
