Archives

I conduct area studies research on socioeconomic and socio-cultural dynamics among the people of the Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Archipelago straddles the provinces of South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan. The south end of this area faces the historical port towns of East Java, while the opposite end of this maritime area faces the international boundaries of Malaysia and the Philippines. The Spermonde Archipelago is not a large or historically famous area; however, if we look into the dynamics of its everyday life in human mobility and natural resources transaction, the interfaces of the area can be surprising. The Makassar Straits, South Sulawesi, and its famously highly-mobile population are still major keywords to be observed and clarified in order to understand the social, economic, and cultural transformation and diversity of the entire area of eastern Indonesia under the Regional Autonomy Policy.