Monday, April 29, 2024, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM received a visit from Tgk Chiek Oemar Diyan Modern Islamic Boarding School from Aceh Besar Regency, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province. This visit is part of a study tour organized by the boarding school for students accompanied by supervisors and representatives of the Modern Islamic Boarding School Tgk Chiek Oemar Diyan to introduce the students to the campus environment of Universitas Gadjah Mada, especially studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. Not only as an introduction, but also as a motivation to pursue higher education, considering that one of the students named Ahmad Faiz Musyarraf successfully passed the Physics Engineering study program through the results of the National Selection Based on Test (SNBT) Year 2023.

On this special occasion, one of the lecturers and Professor of the Anthropology Study Program, Prof. Dr. Irwan Abdul, also shared the story of his journey to study at the UGM Cultural Anthropology study program in his time. The professor, who was born in North Aceh, gave a message to the students to cultivate persistence and never give up, which was also the spirit of Prof. Dr. Irwan Abdul during his efforts to get an education at Gadjah Mada University and during his migration in Yogyakarta during his undergraduate studies at UGM. Through his message, he also mentioned the wide open opportunities in the future open to anyone who is brave and steadfast in the learning process.

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, the Association of Indonesian Literature Scholars Commissariat Jember (HISKI Jember) in collaboration with the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education of Muhammadiyah Jember University (FKIP Unmuh Jember), the Department of Indonesian Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Jember (FIB UNEJ), Semiotics Journal, Cultural Context Literature Research Group (PERSADA), Oral Tradition and Local Wisdom Research Group (TERKELOK), Teen and Children’s Literature Research Group (TCLRG), and Center for English Literature and Culture (CELC), held a National Webinar entitled, NGONTRAS #32 (32nd Metasastra National Chat), This webinar invited the Head of the Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum, as a guest speaker who discussed the theme of travel literature with a presentation entitled, “Travel Writing: According to Carl Thompson”. This activity took place from 10.00 – 12.00 WIB with a series of opening, presentation by Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum. and Dr. Rahayu Puji Haryanti, M.Hum., question and answer discussion, and closing with a symbolic certificate award.

The presentation by Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum., began with an explanation of the theme of travel literature according to Carl Thompson, who stated that travel literature is the result of an encounter and negotiations over the differences or similarities that accompany it. All travel writing has two intertwined aspects, a report on the wider world and a record of an unknown person or place, revealing the writer’s self along with values, inclinations, assumptions, and culture in addition to the culture addressed by the travel story. The function of travel stories is to inform the outside world, reveal the self, and represent the other.

In addition, a number of literary works are presented as examples of discussion, each of which is explained in terms of the three functions previously mentioned. The literary works are novels that are dissected for exposure to identify and review parts of the novel. From the series of national webinar activities that have been held, this activity is also part of the Community Service carried out by Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum., in the form of education and creating a national level literature and literature discussion space.

Erlangga Satrio Bintoro was overwhelmed with joy when he heard the announcement that he had graduated from IISMA 2024. It was a moment he had been looking forward to with great expectation and hard work. His first step was to tell his family, mentors, and closest friends. For him, sharing his happiness was the best way to start his new journey after passing such a crucial exam.

Since the beginning of the IISMA enrollment process, Erlangga Satrio Bintoro, a Cultural Anthropology, has prepared himself diligently. From conducting in-depth research about the university and country, to preparing essays and practicing interviews. For him, thorough preparation was the key to success in the exam.

In choosing a destination country and university, Erlangga strongly considers his interests and how it can help him achieve his future goals. For him, choosing according to his passion is the right step because it will be reflected in the essay and interview, which are important parts of the IISMA selection.

Erlangga would like to share his tips with his seniors in order to pass the IISMA selection successfully. According to him, prepare yourself as well as possible but don’t overdo it. Choose a country and university that matches your passion, because it will be reflected in the essay and interview.

Erlangga’s journey to success in the IISMA was also helped by the IISMA Preparation Course organized by the UGM Faculty of Arts Language Center. Through the course, Erlangga got a rough idea of how essays should be written, how interviews should go, and what is expected of participants by IISMA. The course contributed greatly to Erlangga’s success in his journey to become an IISMA 2024 awardee.

The Visiting Professor National Seminar organized by the American Studies Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences on Monday, February 19, 2024 at the Auditorium of the Soegondo building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, is one of a series of events to commemorate the retirement of Prof. Ida Rochani Adi, S.U. The seminar was named “Seminar on Popular Culture and Literature” led by moderator: Dr. Herman Felani, M.A. with Prof. Ida who acted directly as Keynote Speaker. The National Seminar event also presented two professors, both of whom are alumni of the American Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, namely Prof. Mister Gideon Maru from Universitas Negri Manado who acted as the first presenter and Prof. Nuriadi from Mataram University who acted as the second presenter. Both Prof. Gidion and Prof. Nuriadi discussed the social society’s view on the phenomenon of American popular culture and literature and its influence in Indonesia.

According to the view of the speakers at the seminar, literature is something that is always synonymous with “fiction”, “the result of fantasy”, “imagination”, and “fabrications” made up by the author. Although not wrong, this view tends to “degrade” literature as a creative work, and a science in the social humanities. In fact, in a deeper sense, literary works are expressions of feelings, thoughts, views on life, character principles, and ideal visions of life that are owned or dreamed of by a writer either in the form of “fiction” (novels, short stories, folklore, legends, etc.), or “non-fiction” (letters, essays, speeches, biographies, autobiographies, etc.). This discussion can be seen from the themes discussed by the speakers: American Literature in the Puritan Era as well as Popular Culture. The extraordinary discussion was closed with comments from Prof. Ida, then continued with the giving of souvenirs and certificates for moderators and presenters as well as group photos.

In addition to the Seminar in Popular Culture and Literature, another agenda that attracted literature enthusiasts in the series of Prof. Ida Rochadi Adi, S.U.’s After-Duty events was the Book Review [R]EVOLUTION OF SASTRA IN THE DIGITAL ERA: Theoretical and Historical Perspectives whose author is none other than Prof. Ida herself. The agenda, which began at 10.30 at the same place and date, was also one of a series of retirement events for Prof. Dr. Ida Rochani Adi, S.U. Guided by two other moderators, Dr. Anna Sriastuti, M.Hum. from Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga and Dr. Rif’ah Innayati, M.A. from Trunojoyo University, Madura. Both explained that the book aims to respond to technological developments that are able to change the mature order of one discipline. While trying to capture the lament of a discipline that faces the dilemma of technological change, the book also tries to offer a framework of thought in responding to the development of the digital world in the world of literature using theoretical and historical perspectives. In addition to providing food for thought and contemplation, the book also provides new ideas on the phenomenon of literary works in the development of the digital world in the modern era. Finally, both speakers strongly recommended reading the book because it can really open up thoughts about literature in the digital era.

On Wednesday, April 25, 2024, the UGM Master of American Studies Program held a Public Lecture on the theme of Globalization, which was presented by Prof. Carla Jones, Ph.D, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder, United States. This public lecture was held online through the Zoom application which was attended by 20 students who were a combination of students of the Master of American Studies Program and the Middle Eastern Cultural Studies Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. In this session, the topic raised in the discussion was “Globalization, Nationalism, and Cosmopolitanism”, which discussed how the impact of globalization on nationalism. The occurrence of mutual influence and the fading of borders between countries causes questions about nationalism.

Prof. Carla explained that in the era of Globalization, it creates a zone of continuous cultural interaction and exchange throughout the world, which can also be referred to as “ecumenism of globalization”. Globalization also creates a situation where previously isolated cultures are constantly colliding. The impact of this global cultural flow is: Homogeneity and cultural chaos. Homogeneity in this context refers to the commonalities that arise when cultures share ideas, goods and media. This then creates confusion and challenges due to the mixing and similarity of cultures.

In addition to this, Prof. Carla also explained about the concept of globalization from Arjun Appadurai, an Indian-American anthropologist. He explained, according to Appadurai, there are five dimensions of cultural flow in globalization: Ethnoscapes (movement or movement of people such as tourists, refugees etc.), Technoscapes: (the movement of technology such as factories, machines, etc.), Financescapes (the movement of money), Mediascapes (the movement of information and images such as TV, newspapers, etc.), Ideoscapes (the spread of ideas and ideology). The 120-minute public lecture then ended with a question and answer session and an open discussion where participants could respond to what had been presented by the speaker.