Power and discrimination in a space : the role of cultural built heritage in identity construction of Chinese Indonesians

Abstract

This thesis investigates the link between cultural built heritage and identity production, represented by the case of the Chinese Indonesian community in Indonesia’s Chinatowns. As a post-diaspora, Chinese Indonesians, over the course of years have experienced discrimination conducted by mainstream society. Cultural differences and political agenda have subjected them to intense discrimination. Therefore, Chinese Indonesians have produced and reproduced their identity to be accepted as Indonesian. Drawing from this, the idea of racial passing is central to this thesis. Based on a premise from Pulido which argues that racism may be spatially expressed and a statement from Yaeger that points out that identity construction can be observed by means of cultural built heritage, this research investigates the connection between identity, racism, and space. Principally, this research explores how Chinese Indonesians utilise their cultural built heritage in terms of their domestic space and Chinatown to produce their “passable” identity in order to be accepted as Indonesian. The thesis explores the everyday life of participants and material artefacts from their homes and places in the Chinatowns of Lasem and Semarang. A variety of data collection techniques were used, such as life story interviews, physical surveys, observations, and archival document exploration during three periods of fieldwork in 2016 and 2017. This thesis ultimately provides an understanding of the significant role of cultural built heritage in the production of “passable’ identity in Chinese Indonesian communities. Cultural built heritage serves as a behavioural control mechanism to create and sustain identity.