As part of our Urban Workshop Series, the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH), Delhi are delighted to invite you to a Workshop on “Participatory Planning and Informality in Indonesian Cities” by Michael J. Haggerty of Pratt Institute, New York.______________________________In the almost fifteen years since decentralization in Indonesia – known locally as the “big bang” – municipal governments have become increasingly responsible for spatial planning and infrastructure development in cities. One legacy of the “big bang” is new participatory structures implemented by local agencies and NGOs in cities that are dealing with rapid growth, climate change, and informalization. In what ways does participation acquire salience in the formulation of development strategies in Indonesian cities? How does participation shape a role for the informal sector to influence development? This presentation will share recent projects and research from a group of urban planners, designers, and NGO-workers in Indonesia known collectively as Solo Kota Kita (Our City Solo). Their work aims to enable citizens and government officials alike to understand the complexities of the built environment so they can better take on the problems and opportunities that come with rampant urbanization. Through independent initiatives and consultancies, this group has investigated the role of both participation and informality in a range of contexts including participatory budgeting, transportation, post-disaster planning, and cities development strategies.Michael Haggerty is an urban planner and designer based in New York City. His work as a consultant with Mercy Corps and UN-HABITAT in Indonesia and Mongolia has included community action planning after disaster, assessment of vulnerability to climate change in coastal urban neighbourhoods, and development of participatory budgeting tools using open source communications technologies. In the New York region, he is currently working with an interdisciplinary design team on a new master plan for the City of Newark, NJ. He is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Pratt Institute Programs in Sustainable Planning and Development and is certified with the American Institute of Certified Planners. This is the twenty fifth in a series of Urban Workshops by the Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH) and Centre for Policy Research (CPR). These workshops seek to provoke public discussion on issues relating to the development of the city and try to address all its facets including its administration, culture, economy, society, and politics. For information, please contact: Marie-Hélène Zerah atmarie-helene.zerah@ird.fr or Partha Mukhopadhyay at partha@cprindia.org
