Industry agglomeration as a geohistorical process of (mis)alignment: Illustrations from Surakarta, Indonesia

Regarding cities as prime evidence of the advantages of industry agglomeration assumes that industry, community and government align. Yet, the geographical scales and organizational logics of industry, community and government differ and the historical process of how they align remains obscure. Putting Global North theory into dialogue with Global South realities, we present a processual approach to understanding industry agglomeration. Our stylized approach recognises the geohistorical (mis)alignments in the organization of industry, government and community. A subsidiary contribution of this paper is to underline the opportunities and constraints government jurisdiction presents in the promotion of industry agglomeration. • Provides a process-theoretical approach to understanding industry agglomeration • Dislocates theory of industry agglomeration from Anglophone, Global North literature and experiences • Reveals points of leverage for policy to effect industry agglomeration • Reveals the centrality of government territoriality to processes f industry agglomeration