Abstract: Drawing on my involvement as a researcher in mining conflicts on customary land in Central Kalimantan, I reflect on my positionality, assumptions, roles, expectations and impacts on social change. Constant re-thinking of my own biases was necessary in order to grasp the nuanced and complex nature of villagers’ attitudes towards mining, and their entangled
relations with the mining companies. My attempt to act as a process facilitator, by persuading an indigenous rights organisation to support villagers in their dispute over land rights with
the mining company, was unsuccessful. I conclude that a constant reassessment of expectations and aims is needed in order to achieve the co-production of knowledge that is relevant
for social change and for the attempt to enhance villagers’ participation in decision making.
Keywords: engaged anthropology, indigenous people, Indonesia, Kalimantan, land conflicts,
mining, participation, reflexivity
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