Jembatan Besi and Northwood

• Use the Case Studies of Jembatan Besi and Northwood when it says 'social inequality'
• Inequality

  • Inequality = differences between people or places
  • As a result of globalisation the numbers of people who no longer live in poverty has reduced dramatically but the gap between the very wealthy and the very poor has grown.
  • These case studies show that there are extreme differences in peoples’ lives globally but there is also inequality within a place i.e. not everyone in Jakarta is poor nor is everyone in Northwood ‘rich’.
• What is housing like in Jembatan Besi :

  • Globalisation > high levels of rural-urban migration > demand for cheap housing increases and exceeds supply
  • Kerosene was used for cooking and to light houses > fire risk due to overcrowding > high levels of emissions create health risks
  • Construction is make-shift from scrap materials > dangerous housing conditions due to instability of buildings
  • Densely populated
• What is income like in Jembatan Besi?

  • average income is $4/day, but this is not consistent
  • Only able to provide unskilled, casual labour due to lack of educational qualifications > unable to have higher paying jobs that require qualifications
  • Self-employment with families running small businesses > creates a vibrant economy as there is entrepreneurship and innovation > strong sense of community
  • BUT no health and safety precautions from small businesses
• Overall future for Jembatan Besi

  • Slum clearance for rebuilding > People will just relocate to other slums making the issue worse
• Jembatan Besi place characteristics?

  • Physical: A slum settlement located in Jakarta along the Ciliwung River
  • Demography: One of Jakarta's most densely populated districts > Slum population of 4000
  • Socio-economic: Average income $4/day but inconsistent, insecure employment and poorly equipped schools
  • Cultural: Strong sense of community
  • Built environment: Make shift buildings from scrap material and overcrowded
• Environmental Quality of Jembatan Besi:

  • High levels of air pollution > kerosene used for cooking > high levels of emission drifting in the city
  • Waterborne diseases are common eg. typhoid, cholera
  • Poor nutrition > High infant mortality rate of 12 per 1000 births
  • Hot tropical climate > malaria is a significant issue ( Hepatitis A )
• What is health like in Jembatan Besi?

  • Few homes have toilets > only 2% of households are connected to the general sewage system > majority toilets flush into open sewers on the street > lack of sanitation
  • No clean running water
  • Groundwater supplies are polluted as it used to be a waste tip
  • No affordable healthcare
• What is education like in Jembatan Besi?

  • Poorly equipped schools
  • Children work from a young age to increase the household income > lack of educational qualifications as they don't finish school
  • Garment industry is a main source of income
• What is the age, ethnicity, gender, and personal mobility in Jembatan Besi?

  • Lots of young females employed in the garment industry.
  • Migrant workers only stay for a few months.
  • Families have lived there for several generations >strong sense of community and lots of children
• How is the access to resources in Jembatan Besi?

  • The slum is only 4 km from the city centre.
  • The Ciliwung river runs through the middle.
  • A main road is near and the airport is only 12 km away
• How does social inequality impact upon peoples lives in Jembatan Besi?

  • There are plans to improve the area with Housing and Administrative building agency
• Northwood place characteristics?

  • Physical: An edge city located in Irvine, Southern California
  • Demography: 1/3 families have children, 2000 households, population of 21,000
  • Socio-economic: Average income $87,000/year > residents are well-off financially ( National average income is $52,000 so significantly higher )
  • Built environment: Large homes with excellent infrastructure
• Housing conditions in Northwood:

  • characterised by single-family houses on relatively large lots.
  • Average household size: 2.8
  • 90% of households own their own home - Majority

  Therefore residents live comfortably > good quality of life
• What is the environmental quality like in Northwood?

  • There are lots of green areas
  • It is close to a national park
  • There is very little pollution and smog as it is on the edge of the city so it avoids it - edge city
• Edge City


  Clustering of businesses, retail and commercial land that is away from the traditional CBD ( Central Business District ) Example: Northwood > On the edge of the city so avoids pollution
• What is the income like in Northwood?


  • People are well off financially > average income is $87,000 compared to the national average of $52,000.
  • Relatively easy access to jobs that require and reward higher level education qualifications
  • Northwood's located in an AC > attracted tech companies > eg. Blizzard entertainment (video games), pharmaceuticals and Space firms
• Healthcare in Northwood?

  • Healthcare is excellent
  • People can afford the healthcare
  • Low air pollution > low health risks
• What is education like in Northwood?

  • They have some of the best achieving schools in the US > high educational standards > 69% of residents have first degrees and 21% have masters
  • High income parents can afford and encourage secondary and tertiary education
• What is the age, ethnicity, gender, and personal mobility and crime in Northwood?

  • 50% of the residents are white
  • The crime levels are 70% lower than the national average> safer than 96% of the cities in California
  • 1/3 of households are families with children.
• How is the access to resources in Northwood?

  • They have access to beaches.
  • High income area > very good access to resources as they can afford it
• How does social inequality impact peoples lives in Northwood?

  • High rates of employment and ranked as one of the highest cities in the US > low levels of inequality > not much impact upon peoples lives
  • City of Irvene developed as a fully-planned and controlled city from the 1960s > large houses, good quality infrastructure > attracts high income residents and successful businesses > pay high tax rate> sustains high level of investment in welfare services
  • Most likely would be affected by a recession and would feel the impacts.
• Future threat of climate change for Jembatan Besi

  Risk of flooding:

  • Jakarta is located along several low lying rivers that swell during the monsoon season > since 1990 major floods have happened every few years in Jakarta > tens of thousands of people are often displaced