ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part argues that citywide community mapping is a powerful tool "to engage citizens in understanding and contributing to the development of their city", as demonstrated in the case of Solo, Indonesia. It also presents the example of community-based food production in Bangkok that is a glimpse into various similar initiatives across the region. Community-based food production is an effort by the members to control their own food systems. The part discusses that community-led initiatives and processes in urban Southeast Asia often start from addressing the needs of the poor. It focuses on digital activism in Southeast Asia that opens the discussion on how the internet and social media become tools of communication among activists in various cities in the region. The promise of democratization is widespread, but technologies are also subjected to control.
