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The Acoustic City: Sonorous Landscapes, Urban Memory, and the Politics of Noise Muhammad Hasan; Jovanka Andina; Matilda Munoz; Emir Abdullah; Ahmad Erza
Enigma in Cultural Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025): Enigma in Cultural
Publisher : Enigma Institute

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61996/cultural.v3i2.110

Abstract

The contemporary city is often conceived through a visual paradigm, yet its character is profoundly shaped by its acoustic environment. This study investigated the urban soundscape as a complex tapestry woven from sound, memory, and power. Focusing on the rapidly urbanizing context of Indonesia, this research explored how sonorous landscapes are produced, experienced, and contested, shaping collective urban memory and becoming arenas for political negotiation. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating qualitative ethnographic research with quantitative acoustic analysis. Fieldwork was conducted in two distinct Indonesian urban settings: the megacity of Jakarta and the historically significant city of Palembang. Methods included 60 semi-structured interviews with residents, urban planners, and community leaders; 30 researcher-led soundwalks using participant observation; and acoustic data collection using Class 1 sound level meters at 100 strategic locations. This data was used to create predictive acoustic models of selected neighborhoods using CadnaA sound prediction software to visualize and analyze sound pressure level (SPL) distribution. The findings revealed a rich acoustic lexicon unique to Indonesian cities, characterized by a dynamic interplay of religious sounds (the call to prayer or adzan), commercial vocalizations (street vendor calls), transportation noise, and sounds of community life (gotong royong). Ethnographic data demonstrated that these sounds are potent carriers of urban memory, evoking nostalgia and a sense of belonging, but are also sources of significant social friction. Acoustic models identified "sonorous hotspots" where SPLs consistently exceeded national health recommendations by up to 25 dBA, particularly around transport hubs and commercial districts. A significant disconnect was found between residents' subjective perception of noise and objective decibel measurements, highlighting the cultural mediation of sound. The "politics of noise" manifested in community-level disputes over the volume and timing of mosque loudspeakers and the perceived encroachment of commercial sounds into residential areas. In conclusion, the urban soundscape is not a neutral background but a contested social and political space where identities are asserted and power is negotiated. This study established that in Indonesian cities, sound acts as a crucial medium for constructing urban memory and a site for the subtle, everyday politics of cohabitation. Understanding these sonorous landscapes is essential for developing more inclusive and acoustically just urban planning policies that move beyond simple noise abatement to a more nuanced appreciation of the urban acoustic environment.
Beyond Tenure: A Quasi-Experimental Causal Analysis of Community Forest Management on Peatland Biodiversity, Carbon Stocks, and Management Efficacy in Sumatra Jasmila Tanjung; Sarah Armalia; Jovanka Andina; Caelin Damayanti
Indonesian Community Empowerment Journal Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): Indonesian Community Empowerment Journal
Publisher : HM Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37275/icejournal.v5i1.54

Abstract

Indonesia's Hutan Desa (HD, Village Forest) program is a cornerstone of global social forestry, yet its causal ecological impacts remain contested. Rigorous, counterfactual-based evidence is urgently needed to validate this policy intervention, particularly in globally critical peat-swamp landscapes. This study employed a quasi-experimental design, using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to construct a statistically balanced sample of 40 HD (treatment) and 40 non-HD (control) village units in Sumatran peatlands. We analyzed data from 400 1-hectare permanent sample plots (5 plots nested per village). We assessed floral diversity (Shannon-Wiener Index, H'), faunal presence, and ecosystem carbon stocks (Above-Ground, AGB; Soil Organic Carbon, SOC). Causal impacts were quantified using Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMMs) to account for the nested data structure. We further analyzed the "treatment effect" by modeling dose-response relationships for permit duration and management intensity. After matching, LMMs revealed that HD management has a significant positive causal effect on all ecological outcomes. Floral diversity was significantly higher in HD plots (H' = 2.92) versus control plots (H' = 2.18; F(1, 78) = 48.21, p < 0.001). Total ecosystem carbon stocks (AGB + SOC in top 100cm) were 36% higher in HD units (255.1 Mg C ha⁻¹) compared to controls (187.3 Mg C ha⁻¹; F(1, 78) = 53.09, p < 0.001). This was driven by a significant preservation of SOC. Dose-response models further showed that ecological benefits (such as AGB) accumulate significantly with increased permit duration and that higher management intensity is a strong predictor of biodiversity. In conclusion, our findings provide robust, hierarchical evidence that HD management is an effective conservation and climate mitigation strategy. By establishing tenure, enabling active stewardship, and, crucially, protecting peatland hydrology, the HD model delivers verifiable, causal improvements to biodiversity and carbon stocks.