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Research

My research focuses on megacity planning and urban development across the Global South, with particular depth in Indonesian cities, particularly Jakarta. I'm the editor of The Routledge Handbook of Planning Megacities in the Global South, which examines urbanization challenges across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. My work also extends to homelessness, housing policy, and health disparities in the U.S. My research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

  • Megacity Planning in the Global South — core focus, anchored by the Routledge Handbook, covering urbanization patterns across regions where megacity growth is fastest. See Books for the full collection

  • Urban Indonesia & Jakarta — deep-dive regional expertise, tied to the Routledge Handbook of Urban Indonesia. See Books for the full collection

  • Homelessness & Housing Policy — U.S.-based research on spatial patterns and prevention interventions. See Books for the full collection

  • Health Disparities & Urbanization — the connection between urban development and public health outcomes.

Selected Publications :

Rahmawati, D., and Rukmana, Deden. (2026). Urban politics on housing policy transformation in Indonesia: an institutional perspective. Housing Studies 41(6): 1406-1426 https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2025.2552404

Tarigan, Surya, and Rukmana, Deden. (2025). Private city development and branding: The case of Bintaro Jaya, Indonesia. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2025.2530110

Tarigan, Surya, and Rukmana, Deden. (2025). Land transformation and private sector-led development in South Tangerang. Space and Polity 29(1): 20-38 https://doi.org/10.1080/13562576.2025.2512912

Rukmana, Deden, and Adharina, N.D. (2025). The urgency of planning megacities in the Global South in the next decade. Town Planning Review, 96(6): 613-625 https://doi.org/10.3828/tpr.2025.5

Rukmana, Deden. (2025). Governing urban Indonesia. Edward Aspinall and Amalinda Savirani (eds.) (Book Review). South East Asia Research 33(2): 244-247 https://doi.org./10.1080/0967828X.2025.2520678

Rukmana, Deden. (2025). Expanding Knowledge from the Roots and the South. Planning Theory and Practice 28(1): 133-135 https://doi.org/10.1080/14649357.2025.2474336

Adharina, N. D., and Rukmana, Deden. (2024). The growth of megacities in the Global South: a review of the available data on trends and patterns. International Planning Studies 29(4): 416-435 https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2024.2433645

Rahmayanti, Krisna, and Rukmana, Deden. (2024). Scoping review of the depth of participation and barriers to community participation in post-disaster housing reconstruction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 104: 104375 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104375

Rukmana, Deden. (2024). The Road to Nusantara: Process, Challenges and Opportunities. Julia M. Lau, Athiqah Nur Alami, Siwage Dharma Negara and Yanuar Nugroho (eds). (Book Review). Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography 46(1): 164-166 https://doi.org/10.1111/sjtg.12571

Rukmana, Deden. (2024). Dialogues: Thinking through the Socio-Political Implications of Indonesia’s Capital Relocation with Dr. Deden Rukmana. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2024/05/11/thinking-through-the-socio-political-implications-of-indonesias-capital-relocation-with-dr-deden-rukmana/

Widita, Alyas, Welch, T., Rukmana, Deden, and Diwangkari, Andyan. (2023). Impact of the MRT Jakarta on Congestion: Evidence from a Before-After, Treatment-Control Evaluation. Journal of Planning Education and Research https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X231174136

Hasibuan, H. S., Tambunan, R. P., Rukmana, D., Permana, C. T., Elizandri, B. N., Putra, G. A. Y., ... & Ristya, Y. (2023). Policymaking and the spatial characteristics of land subsidence in North Jakarta. City and Environment Interactions, 18, 100103.

Rahmawati, D., and Rukmana, Deden. (2022). The Financialization of Housing in Indonesia: Actors and Their Roles in the Transformation of Housing Production. Cities 131: 103918

Rukmana, Deden. (2022). Foreword in Beyond the Informal: Understanding Self-organized Kampungs in Indonesia. Ninik Suhartini and Paul Jones (Eds.). New York: Springer. pp. v-vii