Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has officially inaugurated Professor Dr. Nur Aini Setiawati, M.Hum., Ph.D., as a Professor of Agrarian History at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. The inauguration ceremony took place at the UGM Central Building on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. In her inauguration speech, she analyzed the dynamics of agrarian reform and its impact on agricultural development through a comparative study between Indonesia and South Korea.

Professor Setiawati delivered a speech titled “From Agrarian Phenomena to Agricultural Development: Indonesia and Korea.” She emphasized that land ownership and control are key factors in determining the success of a country’s development. Using a chronological and thematic historical approach, she evaluated how changes in agricultural production have been heavily influenced by land policies of the past.

“Agrarian reform plays a crucial role in agricultural development. By understanding agrarian issues, this study evaluates changes in agricultural production. The main problem to be addressed in this speech is how the impact of agrarian reform on agricultural development can be re-examined, considering that the issues of agrarian reform and agricultural development since the era of kingdoms have always been a compelling subject,” stated Professor Setiawati in her speech.

In her presentation, she explained South Korea’s success in implementing agrarian reform between 1945 and 1950. The policy successfully increased agricultural productivity by providing incentives to farmers. Consequently, the Korean agricultural sector was able to provide a stable food supply amidst waves of industrialization and urbanization. Furthermore, this reform contributed to the formation of an educated working class and encouraged the emergence of a new capitalist class.

A different situation occurred during the period of 1960 to 1984. Professor Setiawati revealed that Indonesia tended to be trapped in ideological conflicts and weak bureaucracy. National industrialization in Indonesia was not aligned with land reform. Instead, land procurement for industry actually strengthened the concentration of land control by the state and corporations. On the other hand, South Korea placed agrarian reform as the main foundation of their national industrialization.

The failure to equalize land ownership in Indonesia was also triggered by a lack of supervision and resistance from local elites. This stands in stark contrast to South Korea, which successfully distributed land evenly thanks to strong institutional support, such as cooperatives and village development programs. The impact can be seen in farmers’ welfare, where South Korea achieved rice self-sufficiency while Indonesia experienced stagnation due to structural inequality.

These findings indicate that consistent agrarian governance is the main differentiator in transforming land challenges into developmental strengths. Agrarian reform is not merely an economic policy, but a historical process that reflects power relations and the future direction of a nation.

This historical record serves as an important reflection for current policy formulation. Inclusive management of agrarian resources is an absolute prerequisite for ensuring food sovereignty and public welfare in the future. Through the continuity of appropriate policies and social legitimacy, land justice is expected to become an engine of development that provides tangible benefits to all levels of society fairly and equitably.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Amid the overwhelming flow of information, writing is often reduced to a mere technical skill—the ability to arrange words so they read smoothly. Yet in an academic context, writing is fundamentally an intellectual act: a way of thinking, responding, and ultimately taking a position in relation to reality.

In a workshop organized by the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum. emphasized that students should not remain confined to the classroom. Ideas, he argued, must be brought into the public domain—into mass media and shared spaces where discourse is exchanged and debated. “Students need to be present in the public sphere through their writing. It is also important to include institutional affiliation as a form of academic responsibility,” Aprinus noted.

There is often a noticeable gap between academia and the wider public. Overly technical language, ideas circulating within limited circles, and a tendency to write merely for assignments can strip knowledge of its broader relevance. This is where the essay finds its significance.

Unlike formal academic writing, essays do not demand rigid structures. They allow space for subjectivity, reflection, and even doubt. Paradoxically, this is precisely where their strength lies—in the courage to take a stance, not merely present data.

However, this freedom is not without direction. Essay writing still requires strategy. There is a long, often invisible process behind it: reading, experimenting, failing, and trying again. Prof. Aprinus illustrated that the journey of writing can be winding—from critiques that fail to “break through” to discovering more nuanced, even ironic ways of expressing ideas.

Writing, then, is not only about the end result, but about the process of finding one’s voice.

One approach offered is to use literary works as a lens for interpreting reality. Fiction is no longer seen as a separate world, but as another way of understanding the real one. From there, writers can build bridges between imagination and concrete social conditions.

Depth, too, becomes essential. In an age that favors speed and superficiality, there is a call to slow down and immerse oneself in a single idea, figure, or perspective until it is fully internalized—not to imitate, but ultimately to move beyond it.

In this session, there was no conventional Q&A. Instead, participants were invited to reflect directly through reviews of the essays they had previously submitted. The feedback may have seemed simple, yet it touched on fundamental aspects: appropriate length, fresh and relevant titles, and the courage to take a clear stance.

What may appear technical, in fact, conceals deeper questions: for whom do we write, and why?

When students begin to write for mass media, they are not merely practicing a skill—they are assuming a role. They step into the public sphere as thinking individuals who do not simply consume information, but actively produce it.

At this point, writing becomes more than just an academic exercise. It becomes a path home—a way for intellectuals to reconnect with the very reality that gave rise to them.

[Master of Arts in Literature, Khotibul Umam]

Amid the noise of everyday life, many things seem to unfold as if by default: traffic jams, crowded markets, and casual conversations in digital spaces. Yet for a social scientist, these are far from ordinary occurrences. They are living “texts,” rich with meaning and waiting to be interpreted more deeply.

During a Social and Cultural Essay Writing Workshop held on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) by the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Agus Suwignyo, M.A. emphasized that the work of social scientists does not operate within fixed spatial boundaries. Their “laboratory” is life itself—a fluid, dynamic, and often unpredictable space.

According to Agus, social scientists inhabit a broad and ever-changing field of inquiry, as their object of study is human interaction across various dimensions of life. “All social phenomena—from traffic congestion to everyday habits—can serve as material for analysis that reflects social structures and public policy,” he explained.

He stressed that sensitivity is the key foundation of a social scientist’s work. With such sensitivity, seemingly mundane phenomena can be transformed into meaningful and critical analysis.

In the discussion session, participants highlighted the condition of social critics in Indonesia, who are perceived to face pressure from the state. Agus acknowledged that the situation is neither entirely hopeful nor entirely bleak. He argued that criticism will persist as long as social awareness remains alive within society.

“What matters is the courage to question reality while remaining grounded in one’s conscience,” he said.

He further asserted that subjectivity in social analysis is inevitable, but it must be anchored in rationality and a commitment to marginalized groups. This approach is essential for upholding social justice amid the complexities of power relations.

The discussion also addressed the shifting nature of social criticism—from what was once organic to forms that are increasingly complex due to interventions by various actors, including the state. In this context, social scientists are required to be more discerning in distinguishing between authentic, organic public voices and those that are manipulative.

Ultimately, being a social scientist is not only about analytical ability, but also about maintaining integrity. As reality becomes increasingly blurred, perhaps the only reliable compass is conscience—constantly reminding us that the primary task of social science is not only to understand humanity, but also to stand up for it.

[Master of Arts in Literature, Khotibul Umam]

Archaeology students took part in a tutorial session for the Data Analysis Methods course held in the laboratory as part of their learning activities. This session represents one of the topics covered in the tutorial, focusing on the introduction to the Mohs scale and various types of rocks as part of archaeological data. During the session, students learned how to identify mineral hardness levels and understand the characteristics of rocks commonly found in archaeological contexts.

Dr. Mahirta, M.A., as the course lecturer, guided the tutorial session in the laboratory. Through this guidance, students were able to engage in direct observation while deepening their understanding through hands-on practice. In addition to strengthening analytical skills in processing archaeological data, the activity also supports the development of more applied and contextual learning, contributing to the advancement of quality education.

Writer:  Muhammad Irsyad
Photo: Dr. Mahirta, M.A.

Amidst the warm and heartfelt ambience of Eid Al-Fitr, the English Department program conducted a Syawalan event at Gadjah Mada University Club (UC), Universitas Gadjah Mada. It was held on Thursday, 31st March 2026, as an annual occasion for lecturers and former lecturers to seek and offer forgiveness while also fostering the bond within the English Department family. Not just Syawalan, this year’s event is particularly special because it also marks the farewell of a recently retired lecturer, Dra. Rio Rini Diah Moehkardi, M.A.

The attendance at this event includes lecturers and retired lecturers from the English Department, along with their families. Throughout the event, they get to talk and reminisce about the memories they shared as part of the English Department family. The Eid atmosphere remains lively, with many hands greeting each other warmly.

The event began with a greeting and speech from Dr. Adi Sutrisno, M.A., a former Head of the English Department. He proceeds to give a word on the ups and downs the English Department has faced due to the lecturers that must leave—whether to study abroad or retire—one by one. Thankfully, owing to the contribution and hard work from the remaining lecturers, they managed to bounce back and maintain the major’s credibility.

He also pays tribute to Dra. Rio Rini Diah Moehkardi, M.A., for her remarkable contribution to the English Department. In this opportunity, Mr. Adi, as a representative of the English Department, handed over a token of appreciation for Mrs. Rio: a memory book filled with words and thoughts from lecturers and students of the English Department. Mrs. Rio expresses her gratitude upon receiving the gift, thanking her fellow lecturers who accompany and enrich her experience in the English Department.

Congrats on your retirement, Mrs. Rio! Thank you for being a part of the English Department family. We hope you will stay healthy, happy, and lively as ever.

Author: Gulma Zahra Auradatu