The Nature of Urban Governance in Developing Countries: a Case Study of Mid-Sized City of Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

The objective of this research is to better understand the nature of urban governance regarding the provision of basic urban services in developing countries, in the domains of housing, water and sanitation. Using the case study of the mid-sized city of Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia, the research explores: (i) the types, processes, and stakeholders that constitute formal urban governance in the provision of basic urban services; (ii) understanding how the stakeholders gain and benefit ‘on the ground’ from the formal arrangements, and why; (iii) for those who do not directly benefit from the formal arrangements, how individuals, groups and communities organise and access governance to meet their basic urban needs; and (iv) clarifying the contributions of the research findings to better understand the nature of urban governance and its relationship to the provision of basic urban services. The methods employed comprise securing primary (face-to-face household surveys interviewing 448 respondents, ground mapping at a lot size level in four informal settlements, and semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders) and secondary data regarding urban governance, planning and management. This research reveals that urban governance arrangements in emerging mid-sizes cities have emerged both formally and informally to cope with basic urban service needs across a range of settlement types. The major modes of governance arrangements in the informal settlements consist of traditional, formal and informal, and hybrid governance. All these governance types co-evolve as their boundaries overlap and intersect through time at varying levels of ‘equilibrium’. The ‘governance equilibrium’ represents a ‘balance’ at a specific point and place in time in how stakeholders utilise and share resources, and access various contributions. This ‘balance’ is shaped by two main elements: ‘fixed’ and ‘variable elements of governance.