Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is proud to host the prestigious international conference “Association for Asian Studies in Asia 2024” (AAS-in-Asia). The conference takes place over three days, from Tuesday, July 9th to Thursday, July 11th, 2024, and is attended by approximately 1,400 participants from 43 countries.

On this occasion, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM serves as one of the main venues for various panel discussions and academic presentations. As a center for cultural and humanities studies, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM provides adequate facilities to support the smooth running of this international conference.

The “Association for Asian Studies in Asia 2024” conference brings together academics, researchers, and practitioners from various disciplines interested in Asian studies. With participation from 43 countries, this conference offers an extraordinary opportunity to share knowledge, research findings, and perspectives on various important issues related to Asia.

Over the three days, conference participants attend various panel sessions discussing topics such as politics, economics, culture, history, and social issues in Asia. These discussions are led by leading experts in their fields, providing in-depth insights and valuable new perspectives.

In addition to panel discussions, the conference also includes other sessions such as interactive workshops. Participants have the opportunity to interact directly with speakers and fellow attendees, expanding their academic and professional networks.

This conference not only serves as a platform for sharing knowledge but also introduces the beauty and cultural diversity of Yogyakarta to international participants. As a city of culture and education, Yogyakarta offers a rich experience in history and tradition, adding value to the conference.

The UGM Arabic Literature Student Association (Ikmasa) held SANJUNG (Ikmasa Visits) on Sunday, June 30th, 2024. This event took place in Room 709 of the Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This event was a collaboration between Ikmasa and the Student Association of Arabic Language Education at Muhammadiyyah University of Yogyakarta (HIMA PBA UMY).

The event was attended by all members of the UGM Arabic Literature Student Association (Ikmasa) and the Student Association of Arabic Language Education at Muhammadiyyah University of Yogyakarta (HIMA PBA UMY).

The event began with an opening by the MC, followed by remarks from the HMP Chair, and presentations of each HMP’s work programs. It continued with departmental sharing sessions, where participants gathered with their respective departments, and concluded with the symbolic exchange of souvenirs and a group photo at the UGM rectorate.

It is hoped that through SANJUNG (Ikmasa Visits), the bonds of friendship will be maintained, fostering a sense of togetherness and cooperation among all participants.

Organized by the Department of Anthropology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia on Monday, July 8, 2024 at Soegondo Building room 709, Faculty of Humanities, Gadjah Mada University, this one-day workshop was conceived to stimulate dialogue between different geographical, political, and economic views on migration in the Global South, while exploring opportunities to enhance scholarly exchange among participants. The event was able to provide a platform to discuss diverse approaches to migration, including knowledge creation, dynamics, methods, ethics, and case studies from different regions in the Global South. The aim of the Workshop was also to provide participants with the necessary skills to disseminate their ideas more widely and engage in contemporary debates on migration in the South.

Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Kamran Asdar Ali as Former President of AAS and Mimi Savitri, M.A., Ph.D. as Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation and Alumni of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Then the participants and mentors introduced themselves one by one before presenting the work of their respective groups. The next agenda was Rethinking Interconnectivity which was guided by Dr. Realisa D. Massardi/Dr. Furrukh Khan/Dr: Jerónimo Delgado-Caicedo. This was followed by breakaway sessions discussing interconnectivity in the global south and how the concept relates to their research. Participants then presented again, this time on their findings. At the end of the program, there was a discussion to answer any unanswered questions.

During the 3rd graduation period held on April 24, 2024, four students from the Master’s Program in American Studies graduated. All four are 2021 cohorts of the Master’s Program in American Studies, namely: Diah Prima, Ratu Nadhirah El Sarah, Krisna Sujiwa, and Riza Rahayu Muludi. The discussions in the theses of these four graduates reflect a diversity of topics ranging from political issues, popular culture, social problems, racism, etc. Broadly speaking, the students’ thesis interests in the study program are grouped into two; namely social issues and literature.

Diah Prima’s thesis is titled: American Influence in Japanese Imagination: A Study of Semiotics on Furudate’s Haikyuu!!. This study discusses the influence of America in Japan and the extent of American influence on Haruichi Furudate’s manga Haikyuu!!. Haikyuu!! itself revolves around the theme of volleyball, a sport introduced by America. In addition, there are other aspects that are also American influences in this manga, such as fashion, hairstyle, technology, and cheerleading. Nevertheless, there are still some limitations to American influence in Haikyuu!!, such as politeness, which is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and remains unaffected by American culture.

Next is Riza Rahayu Muludi’s thesis titled Constructing the Pursuit of Happiness in the Pursuit of Happiness (2006): Roland Barthes’ Semiotic Analysis. This study aims to see how the pursuit of happiness constructs the lives of Americans in the film The Pursuit of Happiness. The pursuit of happiness is part of the American Dream, which means that every American has the right to their happiness. As seen in the film, the character Chris Gardner has his own happiness in achieving success. Furthermore, other characters besides Gardner also have their own happiness.

Ratu Nadhirah’s thesis, which graduated with Cumlaude honors, is titled Representing Islam in American Superhero Series of 2022. This thesis discusses how Islam is represented in superhero series. Conflicts related to Islam in the Western world, especially in the United States, have been ongoing long before the events of September 11, 2001 (9/11). However, the negative representation of Islam worsened after 9/11. This event promoted stereotypes that spread widely through the mass media, forming a set of characteristics used to identify Muslims, such as thick beards, heavy accents, Arab appearance, the use of hijabs, and more. Nonetheless, in 2022 Marvel Studios released its 7th television series titled Ms. Marvel, featuring the first Muslim superhero as the main character in the history of American superhero series.

Lastly, Krisna Sujiwa’s thesis, titled Freedom of Speech in Transnational Dialogue: a Critical Discourse Analysis of Daryl Morey’s Tweet about the Hong Kong Protest, discusses how a tweet from Daryl Morey, an executive of an NBA basketball club, caused issues between the NBA, America, and China, which eventually led to significant problems for the NBA.

These studies are expected to provide an overview of how research is conducted in the Master’s Program in American Studies, as well as what topics or issues can be researched in the field of American Studies. Furthermore, these studies are also expected to serve as references for future research.

The Journal Management Team of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada held a Mid-Year Monitoring & Evaluation of Journal Management & Accreditation Preparation which was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 9 am to 1 pm in Room R. Soegondo 709, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. On the agenda, the Journal Bureau of FIB UGM discussed matters regarding FIB journals that have been indexed by Garuda national, projected targets in 2025 so that all FIB journals are SINTA accredited, plans for Scopus resubmission poetics in 2024 and the end of 2025 Humanities, and appeals to new journals to keep running consistently. In the discussion led by the FIB UGM Journal Bureau, journal managers highlighted the importance of expanding the reach and quality of their publications to meet national and international accreditation standards. 

The projected target to achieve SINTA accreditation by 2025 was the main focus, with concrete efforts to increase the indexation of journals on the Garuda platform. The poetic planned to resubmit to Scopus within this year and focused on the Humanities by 2025 was a crucial strategy in reaching global markets and increasing the visibility of research in the humanities. The call for new journals reflected a commitment to fostering sustainability and quality in publication management, as well as ensuring that all publications remain relevant and impactful in the discipline of cultural sciences. This discussion was an important milestone in strengthening the role of FIB UGM’s scientific journals in supporting academic and intellectual advancement at the national and international levels.