Universitas Gadjah Mada has selected Humaniora and Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra as recipients of the Journal Governance Support Program Toward Scopus Indexing through the EQUITY WCU 2025/2026 initiative.

Both academic journals under the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM were chosen under the scheme aimed at strengthening the quality of academic publication management and increasing the global visibility of research originating from Indonesia.

Humaniora, first published in 1989, is known as an academic, open-access, and peer-reviewed journal focusing on cultural studies from an Indonesian perspective. Since 2022, all articles have been published in English and the journal is issued twice a year. It accepts submissions throughout the year and is committed to advancing interdisciplinary humanities scholarship.

Meanwhile, Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra is a biannual academic journal that highlights social issues through literary research, particularly topics related to marginalized groups. The journal is published by the Postgraduate Program in Literature at FIB UGM and is indexed in DOAJ, as well as accredited SINTA 2 by the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN).

With the support of the EQUITY WCU Program, Humaniora and Poetika are expected to strengthen the role of knowledge in driving social progress and expanding equitable access to academic insights. This effort to improve the quality of scholarly publications reflects a sustainable commitment to advancing education and research with meaningful impact for the future.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

On Friday (November 21, 2025), Prof. Dr. Pujo Semedi served as a panel discussant in the session “Monsters, Devils, and Survival: The Persistence of Plantations and People in the Scholarship of Pujo Semedi” at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) in New Orleans, LA, supported by FULLBRIGHT funding through the Scholar in Residence Grant at the University of Colorado Boulder for Fall 2025. The panel was inspired by Pujo’s academic work on plantations, which investigates how colonial hegemony in its efforts to build capital accumulation by sacrificing human sociality has instead resulted in the loss of assets and weakened capacities for survival. In his presentation, Pujo invited participants to explore how non-human entities such as “ghosts” influence social and material relations within plantation environments.

Through ethnographic research in Kalimantan’s palm oil plantations, Java’s tea plantations, and Germany’s vineyards, Pujo argues that “ghosts” are understood as empirical and material realities by plantation communities. Although spiritual beings are not bound by physical laws or fixed forms, belief in them becomes a productive lens for ethical and emic understanding. Positioned within a strong postcolonial perspective, Pujo’s ideas are seen as important for advancing research on extraction and imperial accumulation in postcolonial nations. The panel, featuring Carla Jones and five PhD students from the University of Colorado Boulder, embodied efforts to decolonize knowledge, highlighting Pujo Semedi’s role in fostering cross-cultural academic collaboration.

Author: Penulis: Okky Chandra Baskoro

Yogyakarta, 25 November 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) of Universitas Gadjah Mada has once again marked an important achievement in strengthening the governance of scholarly publications. Through the official announcement of the UGM Journal Management Assistance Program for Scopus Indexing and Quartile Improvement (EQUITY WCU 2025/2026), two journals under FIB UGM Jurnal Humaniora and Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra were selected as recipients in the Towards Scopus Scheme.

A total of 26 journals from various faculties across UGM were announced as awardees. Within this list, Jurnal Humaniora and Poetika ranked 17th and 18th, representing FIB UGM as two humanities journals deemed to have strong potential to progress toward Scopus indexing.

Through this program, each selected journal is required to prepare a final proposal that incorporates reviewer recommendations, develop a sustainability plan through 2030, and outline achievable targets projected until May 2026. In addition, journal managers must complete administrative documents, including the Statement of Absolute Responsibility (SPTJM), and upload all required files through UGM’s official administrative system.

This achievement demonstrates FIB UGM’s commitment to improving the quality of scholarly publication governance and expanding its academic contribution at the global level. With the selection of these two journals, FIB UGM reinforces its capacity to strengthen the role of the humanities internationally through enhanced editorial standards, broadened academic networks, and the dissemination of research relevant to contemporary scholarly development.

This accomplishment aligns closely with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in supporting quality education through strengthened credibility and accessibility of academic publications. Efforts to enhance journal quality also reflect the faculty’s commitment to building a sustainable research ecosystem, fostering a strong academic culture, and encouraging both national and international collaboration as part of developing inclusive and globally competitive knowledge.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

Semarang, 25 October 2025 — Twenty-eight students from the Arabic Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada participated in the UNDIP Muslim Festival held on Saturday, 25 October 2025 at Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java. The delegation competed across three categories: Cerdas Cermat Islam (CCI), Musabaqah Hifdzil Qur’an (MHQ), and Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur’an (MTQ). The group departed Yogyakarta at 04:00 WIB and arrived at Diponegoro University at 08:00 WIB. Upon arrival, delegates shared a breakfast together before the festival program began. 

After attending the grand opening ceremony, participants proceeded to their respective competition venues. In the CCI category, the Arabic Study Program team advanced to the semifinal round, a notable achievement that demonstrated the students’ knowledge and preparedness. The festival ran smoothly and in high spirits, reflecting both the discipline and enthusiasm of the UGM delegation. UGM’s participation in UNDIP Muslim Festival 2025 aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The Arabic Study Program hopes the competition experience will inspire continued academic achievement and community engagement among its students as they prepare for future national and regional events.

Author: Azka Dihya Khaliffa

The relevance of the Javanese language and literature amid contemporary challenges was the main topic in the Javanese Literature History course in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. The lecture, which took place on Monday, November 10, 2025, featured an alumnus, practitioner, and observer of Javanese culture, Paksi Raras Alit, S.S., M.A., as a guest speaker.

The course, taught by Dr. R. Bima Slamet Raharja, M.A., was attended by all students from the class of 2024. The presence of Paksi Raras Alit aimed to provide a practical perspective on the sustainability of literary heritage in the modern era.

In his presentation, Paksi Raras Alit emphasized that the teachings and knowledge contained in Javanese culture are still very relevant to current social conditions. He cited his latest work, a book entitled Ajaran Bahagia dari Jawa: Filosofi untuk Hidup Tenang dan Legawa (Teachings of Happiness from Java: Philosophy for a Peaceful and Contented Life). The book was written in order to explore the Javanese philosophy of life to achieve happiness. According to him, the wisdom contained in Javanese literature can offer guidance or knowledge towards inner peace.

This activity was very well received by the students. Their enthusiasm was evident from the variety of questions they asked, despite the limited discussion time. Shabrina Fitra Azzahra, one of the course participants, shared her views in an online interview on November 21, 2025. She stated that she discovered various other perspectives on Javanese literature.

This activity not only increased knowledge, but also boosted the enthusiasm of students in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. This enthusiasm was manifested in their determination to nguri-uri ‘preserve’ and ngurip-urip ‘revitalize’ Javanese culture. Through a strong commitment to preservation and cooperation with various parties, it is hoped that the valuable messages and information contained in Javanese literary works can be “reintroduced” and bring tangible benefits to the wider community.

Author : Haryo Untoro
Editor : Haryo Untoro