Ilham Ilham, Ida Liana Tanjung, Cho Tae Young

Cosmopolitan Makassar: Continuing the Ambiguity of Indonesia’s Modern Cities

Introduction

Cosmopolitan makassar: continuing the ambiguity of indonesia’s modern cities. Discover Makassar's ambiguous 21st-century urban modernity. Explore its 'world city' aspirations, coastal development, smart city initiatives, and the resulting social-ecological inequalities.

Abstract

This article examines the formation of modernity in Makassar City during the first two decades of the 21st century within the framework of contemporary urban spatial transformation. This period is marked by modern projects such as the revitalization of Losari Beach, coastal reclamation, the development of the Center Point of Indonesia area, the smart city program, and the hosting of international festivals. These efforts constitute a form of promoting Makassar as a “world city” that is cosmopolitan and globally competitive. This research aims to explain how these modernity projects are manifested, negotiated, and reproduced within a historical context. It analyzes the ongoing efforts of the city government, the business sector, and various communities in shaping a cosmopolitan Makassar in the 21st century. The study uses historical methods, including heuristics (collecting archives, policy documents, media reports, and interviews), source criticism, contextual interpretation, and historiographical reconstruction. The analysis is conducted diachronically to trace the continuity of previous developmental legacies, and synchronically to examine the power relations among various stakeholders. The results show the existence of contradictions as as a tangible form of urban modernity. Makassar's modernization reproduces the old spatial pattern—that is, the separation between the modern center and the underdeveloped periphery—while presenting a performative cosmopolitanism focused on image and symbolism. Modernity follows global aesthetic trends and market demands; however, this condition results in evident social and ecological inequalities. This research contributes to the historiography of Indonesian urban history by positioning Makassar City as an important case outside of the Java-centric narrative and offering the concept of “ambiguous modernity” as an inherent characteristic of postcolonial cities, not merely as a policy anomaly.

Review

This article offers a compelling and timely examination of urban modernity in Makassar during the early 21st century, providing a valuable counterpoint to Java-centric narratives in Indonesian urban history. By focusing on projects such as coastal reclamation, the Center Point of Indonesia development, and the smart city program, the author meticulously explores how Makassar has strived to present itself as a "world city" – cosmopolitan and globally competitive. The research effectively sets out to deconstruct these aspirations, investigating how these modernity projects are not only manifested but also negotiated and reproduced within a complex historical context, involving government, business, and local communities. The methodological approach, combining robust historical methods with both diachronic and synchronic analysis, is particularly strong, allowing for a nuanced understanding of continuity and power relations. The findings reveal a critical insight: urban modernity in Makassar is characterized by inherent contradictions. Rather than fostering equitable development, the city's modernization efforts are shown to reproduce old spatial patterns of inequality, creating a stark divide between a modern center and an underdeveloped periphery. Furthermore, the paper highlights a performative cosmopolitanism, heavily reliant on image and symbolism, which, while following global aesthetic and market trends, ultimately exacerbates social and ecological inequalities. Ultimately, this research makes a significant contribution to the historiography of Indonesian urban development. By positioning Makassar as a pivotal case study, it not only broadens the geographic scope of scholarly inquiry but also introduces the potent concept of “ambiguous modernity.” This concept redefines the contradictions observed in postcolonial cities not as mere policy anomalies but as an inherent and defining characteristic, compelling readers to critically re-evaluate the true nature and costs of "world city" aspirations. This paper is essential reading for scholars interested in urban studies, development, and postcolonial theory.

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