RESEARCH TEAMS:
• Tourist Neocolonialism in Indonesia
Project author: Paweł Cywiński, PhD
• Liminal Spaces in Lagos
Project author: Michelle Mbazuigwe, MA
In areas impacted by intensive tourism, a noticeable tension arises between local populations and the constant influx of visitors who are only interested in briefly experiencing a given place. At the Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw, we explore the significance of tourist neocolonialism through in-depth analysis and advanced data-collection methods. An important aspect of socio-spatial tensions involves liminal spaces—transitional places, such as unfinished construction projects, areas near roads and bridges, informal markets, and unplanned settlements. These have turned out to be not only spaces of exclusion, but also of activity, adaptation, and resistance.
For four months, we conducted intensive field research at four unique locations in Indonesia: the Buddhist temple Borobudur on Java Island, the Mentawai Islands archipelago, the tourist district of Prawirotaman in Yogyakarta, and the sea temple Tanah Lot in Bali. The aim of this research was to define and empirically verify the concept of “tourist neocolonialism”—the asymmetric relationship between the world of tourists and local communities, leading to dependence or even marginalisation of the locals. Our research was grounded in postcolonial theories of imperialism. We employed diverse research methods, including analysis of existing sources, in-depth interviews with local decision-makers, spatial inventories, and field observations. Our findings demonstrated that tourist neocolonialism manifests particularly through economic dependency and commercialisation of local culture. Places of significant religious worship have been extensively transformed into tourist products, resulting in locals being excluded from their own spaces. In the Mentawai Islands, locals have adapted their culture to tourist expectations, creating a simplified and stereotypical version. In Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, we attempted to identify the functions of liminal spaces—areas suspended between formality and informality. Similar to our Indonesian studies, we aimed to understand the nature of the tension and how socio-spatial conflicts develop, influencing residents’ daily lives. Through qualitative research and field observations, we sought empirical evidence of persistent liminality—a prolonged state of spatial uncertainty. The situation in Lagos results from social tensions rooted in the city’s colonial history as a British colony, neoliberal urban policies, and local residents’ survival strategies. In semi-formal spaces, residents without access to public services create alternative infrastructure, commerce, and transport systems, transforming these areas into dynamic everyday environments. Research conclusions have practical implications for urban planning in cities of the Global South.
Upper graphics:
← The diagram illustrates how historical conditions, neoliberal reforms, and grassroots social activities shape persistent liminality within Lagos’s urban spaces, leading to socio-spatial conflicts and influencing social life, the economy, and urban politics. ↑ Map of Lagos highlighting the key research locations, including the areas of field observations (own elaboration). Lower graphics:
↑ FROM THE LEFT. 1
Tanah Lot. View of the Tanah Lot temple during sunset and high tide, part of Bali’s canonical tourist and iconic imagery (photo: A. Karmasz). 2
Tanah Lot. View of Tanah Lot temple from the golf course of the Bali Nirvana Resort (photo: A. Karmasz).
Photo depicting an informal settlement in the Ilaje district. Residents adapt space according to their needs, creating pathways, supply systems, and workplaces. This photo presents space as a product of bottom-up activities rather than top-down planning (photo: M. Mbazuigwe).
A daily-life scene from the marginal district of Makoko—an informal water settlement in Lagos. Photographed from a boat, the image highlights this dynamic liminal space, where residents’ lives and livelihoods rely on traditional building techniques and water-based transportation (photo: M. Mbazuigwe).
RESEARCH LOCATION: Indonesia / Nigeria (JAVA / BALI / LAGOS)