Yogyakarta, August 20, 2025 — The Cultural Anthropology Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada, has once again opened its Gender and Sexuality class, a regular part of the department’s semester curriculum. This semester, the class is scheduled every Wednesday from 7:15 to 9:45 a.m., running from August 20 to December 5, 2025, at the R. Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM.

The course aims to provide a critical understanding of the distinctions between sex, gender, and sexuality. Through this class, students are encouraged to grasp why these distinctions have become increasingly significant amid the changing dynamics of modern society.

A wide range of topics are discussed, including sexual taboos, sexual identity, and expressions of gender in everyday life. The course also examines how gender identity intersects with other aspects such as social class, ethnicity, race, age, and religion. Using an intersectional approach, students are guided to understand how multiple identities shape individual experiences within society.

Beyond theoretical discussion, the course also highlights the social and cultural implications of gender and sexuality issues, especially in the context of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Students are encouraged to think critically, question social norms, and appreciate the diversity of human experiences while remaining grounded in local contexts.

The Gender and Sexuality class is open to students from the Cultural Anthropology Study Program and other departments within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. It serves as an important academic space for anyone interested in exploring gender, sexuality, and identity studies from an anthropological perspective, while broadening their understanding of the complexities of contemporary social life.

Photo: Freepik.com

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

A youth-led, non-profit organisation, AIYA seeks to improve the connections between young Australians and Indonesians as well as the opportunities that exist between Australia and Indonesia through cultural and language exchanges, professional programs, and more. AIYA has chapters active in Australian states and territories, and also in Indonesia, including one in Yogyakarta. At the national level, AIYA is governed by an executive committee of early-career professionals.

Bathari Sekar Dewangga, also known as Atha, an English Literature student, secured an internship as an educational events organizer at AIYA. Atha went through two stages of selection for this internship at AIYA. The first was application screening/review, and the second was an interview. Since AIYA is an international organization, in the interview, she had to position herself as a delegate/representative of her country and have a mindset to grow, learn, be tolerant, and understand others.

As an education event officer, Atha’s main task is to organize language exchange events, starting from brainstorming topic ideas and questions related to the chosen topic, compiling event rundowns, surveying places to hold events, becoming MCs and facilitators during the event, and being an intermediary between AIYA and outside parties who want to collaborate with Education AIYA. Not only that, but sometimes Atha also assists the socio-cultural division in running events.

She also served as a link between AIYA and the external parties. Moreover, being part of AIYA allowed her to see the world through different perspectives, appreciating cultural differences and learning to manage her schedule more effectively, especially while balancing academic commitments and preparing for her community service (KKN). At first, she only wanted to strengthen her English skills and make global connections during her internship with the organisation. But she ended up with more than she had needed. She became more proficient in communication, time management, and decision-making. 

Meeting new people and learning about their cultures and languages at each event was both exciting and thrilling for her. Through collaboration, she gained experience in a professional environment and built her career path. “My participation in this organisation has increased my interest in pursuing an overseas job, getting a master’s degree, or establishing a career in Australia,” she shared.

Yogyakarta, 16/8/2025 — On Saturday, August 16, 2025, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held the Closing of the Translation Workshop and Author Talk of A Very Faint Light Though by Choi Eunyoung. The event took place at the Soegondo Building Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, from 9:00 to 11:30 AM, attended by workshop participants, UGM students, and the general public.

The program began with the closing session of the translation workshop, which had been previously conducted. In this session, all participants received certificates of participation and books as a token of appreciation for their involvement. This event was held in collaboration with the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) and received support from PT. Taekwang Indonesia.

Following the workshop closing, the event continued with a talkshow featuring Choi Eunyoung. During this session, Choi Eunyoung was introduced to the audience along with her published works. The talkshow proceeded with a lively Q&A and quiz session. Participants’ enthusiasm was evident through the many questions raised, and as a form of appreciation, those who actively asked or answered questions were awarded free books.

As the final part of the event, the series concluded with the presentation of souvenirs from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, group documentation, and a book signing session by Choi Eunyoung. Through this event, participants not only gained academic experience from the translation workshop but also the opportunity to engage more closely with the author and contemporary Korean literature. The event marked an important moment in strengthening appreciation for Korean literature while also fostering greater interest among students and the wider community in translation practice and translated works.

Author: Sherina Azmi A

Yogyakarta, 15/8/2025 – The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada, recently held an internal meeting as an initial step in the process of applying for Excellent Accreditation. The meeting, which took place on Friday, August 15, 2025, was attended by Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, S.S., M.Hum., DEA., Prof. Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum., lecturers of the Master’s Program in Literature, the accreditation team, as well as administrative staff of the program.

During the meeting, Prof. Wening emphasized the importance of synergy between lecturers and students in supporting the accreditation target. She encouraged lecturers in the Master’s Program in Literature to continue advancing their academic positions. “The promotion of lecturers, either to associate professor or senior associate professor, is one of the key indicators in accreditation assessment. It also reflects our commitment to maintaining academic quality,” stated Prof. Wening.

In addition to lecturers, student contributions were also highlighted. Prof. Wening underscored the need for increasing scientific publications by students of the Master’s Program in Literature. According to her, publications are not only essential for accreditation but also for the development of students’ academic careers. She expressed hope that students would be more active in writing articles and publishing them in academic journals, with support from the program through scientific writing workshops.

Prof. Aprinus Salam also provided strategic input regarding steps that could be taken by the accreditation team and the academic community in achieving Excellent Accreditation. The meeting took place in a dynamic atmosphere, with active discussions among lecturers, the accreditation team, and staff, all showing great enthusiasm, exchanging ideas, and offering constructive suggestions to strengthen the program’s preparation.

The meeting is expected to be a solid starting point for the Master’s Program in Literature in preparing for Excellent Accreditation. With the support of lecturers, students, and staff, the program is optimistic about achieving Excellent Accreditation as a form of recognition for the quality of education, research, and scholarly contributions it has produced. As a follow-up, the program plans to organize a series of academic activities to enhance research and teaching quality. One of these is a scientific writing workshop for Master’s students, which is expected to produce high-quality publications in reputable journals and contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge as well as the academic reputation of the program.

Author: Marsya Kamila/Public/Public Relations, Master’s Program in Literature

Yogyakarta, 15/8/2025 – Two lecturers from the Master’s Program in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Faruk Tripoli, S.U., and Dr. phil. Ramayda Akmal, S.S., M.A., launched their latest book Naratologi Klasik through a discussion event held at SaRang Art, Books & Coffee on Friday, August 15, 2025. The event was part of the Forum Bakal Buku program, which provides a platform for authors and publishers to present their upcoming works.

In a discussion moderated by Heru, the authors emphasized the importance of narratology as one of the pillars of literary studies. Prof. Faruk likened narratology to a camera capable of “shooting” and “zooming,” helping readers to grasp a story in its entirety. “No matter how much we analyze the content through various approaches, narratology allows us to better understand the story,” he remarked.

Moderator Heru added that narratology makes readers more attentive to narrative techniques rather than merely the content of a story. He illustrated this by showing how the 1998 events could be understood differently through direct testimony compared to a novel addressing the same events. “One of the greatest mistakes literature students make is to immediately focus on the content, while narratology actually explains how the story is conveyed,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ramayda Akmal stressed that the way a story is told often carries ideological weight. “The foundation of narratology lies in two things: first, studying the content of the story in literary works, and second, examining how the story is presented. It is in this mode of presentation that political elements often emerge,” she noted.

The discussion was interactive, with an enthusiastic audience engaging directly with the authors. The presence of Naratologi Klasik is expected to make a significant contribution to enriching literary theory in Indonesia, while also reinforcing the position of narratology as a critical tool for reading literary texts within their social, cultural, and political contexts.

Author: Marsya Kamila/Public/Public Relations, Master’s Program in Literature