Events

CHAIRPERSON

Prof Ho Kong Chong, Asia Research Institute, and Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore

ABSTRACT

The ubiquitous presence of neighborhood organizations across Asian cities has inspired inter-disciplinary scholarship about their administrative functions and contribution towards improving public service delivery through representative governance. Relatively absent from this discussion, however, is the role played by neighborhood organizations in maintaining social order and provision of social services during times of crisis. In the current context of public health crisis due to the spread of Covid-19, governments across Asia have tasked neighborhood leaders with the responsibility of enforcing preventative measures in their communities, as well as distribution of economic relief at the local level. This paper examines how neighborhood leaders have responded to this herculean task. Drawing on data from an online survey from the Jakarta Metropolitan Area, home to over 30 million urban residents, the paper explores the structural, political and demographic factors that shape the likelihood of different kinds of interventions by neighborhood leaders to manage the impact of Covid-19. Finally, it examines residents’ perceptions of their neighborhood leaders’ authority during times of crisis and the level of trust they place in these grassroots leaders.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Sana Jaffrey is a postdoctoral fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore. Dr Jaffrey’s research focuses on violent conflict and challenges of state-building in developing democracies and her ongoing book project investigates the puzzling rise of vigilante violence in Asia, increasingly fueled by disinformation on social media platforms. Her research has been published on various academic and policy platforms, including Journal of East Asian Studies. Dr Jaffrey has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Chicago, an MA from the University of Michigan and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. During her previous appointment at the World Bank (2008-2013), she led the implementation of the National Violence Monitoring System (NVMS) data project in Indonesia.

REGISTRATION

Registration is closed, and instructions on how to participate in this webinar has been sent out to registered attendees. Please write to aritm@nus.edu.sg if you would like to attend the webinar.