The Southeast Asia Neighborhoods Network (SEANNET) represents an initiative dedicated to researching, educating, and disseminating knowledge about Asian cities through the lens of everyday urban life. Universitas Airlangga, along with faculty members and young staff from the Faculty of Humanities, actively participates in SEANNET Surabaya, with a focus on Kampung Peneleh as the research subject.

SEANNET Surabaya is part of a broader network spanning several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Its members encompass academics, artists, and students, all driven by a shared interest in exploring and sharing urban knowledge within their respective research domains in Southeast Asian cities.

In its initial phase from 2017 to 2020, the SEANNET Surabaya Team comprised Rita Padawangi (SUSS), Adrian Perkasa (UNAIR), Awang Firmansyah (UNESA), Puspitaningtyas Sulistyowati (Arkom Jatim), Eka Nurul Farida (UNAIR), and Muhamad Rohman Obet (UNAIR). In the subsequent period from 2023 to 2026, the SEANNET Surabaya Team consists of Adrian Perkasa (UNAIR), Awang Firmansyah (UNESA), Lina Puryanti (UNAIR), Ikhsan Rosyid Mujahidul Anwari (UNAIR), Anton Novenanto (Brawijaya University/UB), and Muhamad Rohman Obet (UNAIR).

Since 2017, the SEANNET Surabaya Team has been actively engaged in a range of activities, publications, and documentation aimed at uncovering the historical and cultural richness of Kampung Peneleh and contributing to the community’s development. Collaborating with Kampung Peneleh residents and youth, the following activities have been undertaken:

2017

– Kampung Arek Surabaya Competition (KAS): A city-wide competition involving Kampung Peneleh residents to explore and enhance their kampung’s livability.

– Kampung Mapping: Engaging residents in creating comprehensive and diverse kampung maps.

– Focus Group Discussion (FGD) Oral History: Facilitating discussions with kampung elders and residents to collect oral histories, a valuable historical resource.

– Old Photo Contest: Encouraging residents to share old photos and reminisce about kampung memories.

2018

– Live-in in Kampung Peneleh: Immersing in the daily life of Peneleh Residents.

– UNAIR History Programme Student Field Lecture: Conducting field studies in Kampung Peneleh as part of the Exploration of Local History courses.

– Creating a Video on Traces of Islamic Civilization: Collaborating with the Timur Lawu Community to document traces of Islamic civilization in Kampung Peneleh.

– Mediation Efforts to Preserve the Jobong Well Site: Striving to protect the Jobong Well Site from the impact of an ongoing drainage project.

2019

– Field Work Practice (PKL) for UNAIR Communication Science Master’s Students: Gaining insights into media and urban society by directly interacting with Kampung Peneleh residents.

– Kampung Peneleh Sketches: Collaborating with Urban Sketchers Surabaya to produce captivating sketches depicting life in Kampung Peneleh.

– Digitization of Rukun Tetangga Mapping Results: Documenting changes in the kampung through neighborhood maps.

2020

– Printing the Book “Peneleh in Sketches”: Compiling sketches and stories about Kampung Peneleh into a book.

– Free Internet for Residents: Supporting residents, particularly students, by providing free internet access for online learning.

– Pandemic Coverage with ChannelnewsAsia (CNA): Sharing insights into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on a family in Kampung Peneleh.

– Joint Southeast Asia Class with Loyola University Chicago: Collaborating on educational initiatives to understand the dynamics of Southeast Asia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2021

– Free Internet for Residents: Supporting residents, particularly students, by providing free internet access for online learning.

– Youth Expedition Project Goes Online (YEP-GO): Partnering with students from Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to initiate online learning programs for Kampung Peneleh students.

– Production of Kampung Peneleh History Videos: Creating documentary videos on the history of Kampung Peneleh, Surabaya, in collaboration with the UNAIR History Programme and Hinterhov.

– English Tutoring: Assisting Kampung Peneleh children in improving their English language skills.

2022

– Free Internet for Residents: Supporting residents, particularly students, by providing free internet access for online learning.

– English Tutoring: Assisting Kampung Peneleh children in improving their English language skills.

– UNAIR Literary and Cultural Studies Master’s Student PKL: Enabling students to delve into the history and life of Kampung Peneleh.

– PKL History Visualization Course UNAIR History Programmme: Visualizing the history of Kampung Peneleh through documentary films.

2023

– Free Internet for Residents: Supporting residents, particularly students, by providing free internet access for online learning.

– English Tutoring: Assisting Kampung Peneleh children in improving their English language skills.

– Visit of Foreign Students from AMERTA UNAIR Program: Hosting foreign students exploring historical sites in Kampung Peneleh.

– Ramadhan Culinary Ethnography in Kampung Peneleh: Conducting ethnographic research during Ramadan to document various culinary traditions in Kampung Peneleh.

Throughout this journey, the SEANNET Surabaya Team has generated a range of valuable outputs, including theses, books, articles, documentary films, and various publications that document and share the cultural wealth of Kampung Peneleh with the global community. Furthermore, the SEANNET Surabaya Team played a pivotal role in Universitas Airlangga being selected to host the 13th International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) in 2024, marking the first time ICAS will be held in Indonesia, with Universitas Airlangga as the host.

SEANNET Surabaya stands as a testament to how the enthusiasm of the younger generation can illuminate and inspire positive change within Indonesian society. Innovation and collaboration among academics, residents, kampung youth, and students serve as the driving forces behind preserving cultural heritage while fostering a brighter future for Indonesia.