Yogyakarta, 11/2/2025 – The Department of History, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada held a significant book discussion titled ‘The Opium King of Yogyakarta: Memoirs of Kho Ho Sing 1823-1878.’ The event took place in the Auditorium Room on the 7th floor of Soegondo Building, attracting a diverse audience interested in cultural history and the complexity of cultural diversity in Indonesia.

The discussion featured three prominent speakers: Dr Abdul Wahid, M.A., Dr Leonard C. Epafras, and Dr Sri Margana. Each speaker provided a unique perspective on the life and legacy of Kho Ho Sing, a pivotal figure in the history of Yogyakarta, whose memoirs reflect the hybrid cultural identity of the Chinese and Javanese communities in Indonesia.

Afterwards, the discussion was rounded off with a Q&A session, where participants had the opportunity to interact with the speakers. One of the interesting questions was about the relationship between Kho Ho Sing and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. The speakers explained how Kho Ho Sing’s relationship with the sultanate reflects the intricate ties between different cultural groups in Yogyakarta.

The event not only highlighted the historical significance of Kho Ho Sing but also emphasised the broader theme of cultural diversity in Indonesia. It served as a reminder of the importance of recognising and celebrating the various cultural influences that have shaped this nation.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting cultural diversity, this discussion aimed to encourage a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s multicultural heritage. The speakers encouraged the audience to appreciate the rich cultural exchanges that have taken place throughout history.

In conclusion, the book discussion on ‘The Opium King of Yogyakarta: Kho Ho Sing’s Memoir 1823-1878’ was a successful event that brought together academics, students and cultural enthusiasts. The event provided valuable insights into the hybrid cultural identities that define Indonesia and emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting cultural diversity in contemporary society.

[Public Relation Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Bulan Churniati]

Yogyakarta, September 30, 2024 – Faculty of Cultural Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a farewell lecture for Prof. Dr. Phil. Vincent Houben, a distinguished professor of Southeast Asian history and society, on Monday morning at the 7th Floor Auditorium of Soegondo Building. The event was attended by students in general, especially UGM history students, as well as Prof. Houben’s fellow lecturers.

In a lecture entitled “Area History in the Age of (De)globalization – a Retrospective and Prospective View,” Prof. Houben discussed the dynamics of regional history in the context of globalization and deglobalization, highlighting how these changes affect historical understanding. In his presentation, he invited students to reflect on the historical journey that has been taken and the challenges that will be faced in the future.

Prof. Houben recounted his academic journey, which began with the study of Indonesian history and Indonesian language at Leiden University from 1980 to 1987. He then continued his career as a lecturer in Indonesian history at Leiden from 1986 to 1997, before entering the maturity phase of his career by becoming a professor at Passau University and Humboldt University until 2022.

This event was a valuable opportunity for students to learn directly from the experiences and insights of an academic who has contributed greatly to the study of Southeast Asian history. With the spirit of sharing knowledge, this farewell lecture is expected to motivate students to continue to explore and develop the field of history in Indonesia. FIB UGM will always remember Prof. Houben’s contribution and wish him all the best for his next journey in retirement and future projects.

The Open Senate Meeting in commemoration of the 78th Anniversary of Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM was successfully held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. In the event, one of the lecturers and students of the History Department of FIB UGM won awards as outstanding lecturers and outstanding students. The lecturer is Dr. Agus Suwignyo, M.A. and a History student class of 2020, namely Dinda Nabila.

When interviewed, Dinda Nabila revealed that she felt very grateful for the award that had been given to her. “Alhamdulillah, of course grateful. If you think back a little, I tried many things and of course it wasn’t always smooth. A lot of the behind-the-scenes process is tiring. But with all that, I can cherish every process. But, other than that, I felt like I don’t deserve it, because, yes, there are many friends who are cool and deserve this too,” said Dinda.

Dinda also gave a message to her friends and juniors to keep appreciating every process that is being passed, especially the lecture process. She said, “trust your process, no matter how fast or slow. As long as you have dreams and faith, you’ll get it at your right time. So, from now on, don’t think too much over things you can’t control, just focus on what you can and do your best!”

SGDs 4: Quality Education

On Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences Department of History successfully held a colloquium for Masters in History with two presenters, namely Indriyani and Nur Fadilah Yusuf. Meanwhile, Dr. Mutiah Amini, M.Hum. and Dr. Wildan Sena Utama, S.S., M.A. served as discussants. The event was also attended by the Head of the Department of History and students of S2-S3 History which took place from 13.30 to 15.30 WIB in room 709 Soegondo Building, Faculty of Arts UGM.

Indriyani with a thesis plan entitled “The King’s Symbol Becomes the City’s Symbol: Sriwedari Park in Surakarta 1901-1987” became the first presenter in the colloquium. In general, her thesis explains that Sriwedari Park has experienced a change from an exclusive space to an inclusive space. Initially, Sriwedari Park was established by Pakubuwana X in 1901 as a private space of the palace, so ordinary people often referred to the park as “Bon Raja” or “Kebon Raja” which means “King’s Park”. Later, this condition changed when the commercialization of Sriwedari Park occurred through the implementation of entrance tickets or tickets. Eventually, the park became a public space. After Indonesia’s independence, Sriwedari Park became a revolutionary space where the majority of the ticket sales were used for the cause of independence. After the revolution, there was an assumption in the community that “you haven’t been to Solo if you haven’t been to Sriwedari”, so according to Indriyani, Sriwedari Park eventually became a kind of symbol of Solo.

The second speaker, Nur Fadilah Yusuf with a thesis plan entitled “Taman Ismail Marzuki: The Life of Art and Politics 1968-1998” generally discussed the relationship between art and politics in which the state influenced the running of activities at TIM (Taman Ismail Marzuki). Initially, the establishment of TIM in 1968 was the result of discussions between people known as the Cultural Manifesto group and Governor Ali Sadikin. It can be said to be a grant because of the support of the artists at that time towards the New Order rulers. Nur Fadilah Yusuf also talked about how TIM changed not only spatially, but also in terms of thought (from the representation of art for art’s sake to socialist realism brought by Lekra). In 1998, TIM functioned as a discussion space for activists and students who were going to carry out the reform movement at the Jakarta parliament building.

This colloquium is certainly a golden opportunity for the presenters to get progressive criticism and suggestions for the improvement of their work. Moreover, as Wildan Sena Utama said, the tradition of peer review in Indonesia is still relatively rare.

“People in Indonesia, one of the reasons why many of them turn their attention to predatory publishers like that is because they avoid the peer-review tradition. They are antipathetic to the peer-review tradition because they are afraid, so they think of it as a kind of killing field, you know, not as an opportunity to improve your work, (to) improve your quality,” said Wildan Sena Utama.

In addition, Wildan Sena Utama also provided tips for dealing with peer review.

“There are tips, when you get a complex peer review, don’t do it right away, just let it sit for a day or two because sometimes you also have to prepare your brain first to work on it. That’s one of the tips for dealing with peer review,” he said.

SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDGs 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

To realize the 8th and 9th commitment points in the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), namely Decent Work and Economic Growth as well as Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, the Department of History again successfully held an Alumni Menyapa workshop on Thursday, February 15, 2024. On this occasion, the Department of History presented four speakers from Kasagama (Keluarga Alumni Sejarah Universitas Gadjah Mada) at once, namely Lieutenant CAJ M. Ivan Harish, S.Sej., Kenanga Sekar Putri, S.Sej., Hendra Permana, S.Sej., and Dian Eka Fitriani, S.Sej. to share their post-graduation experiences with the prospective graduates of Period II FY 2023/2024.

The first speaker shared his experience of having a career in the military, precisely at Disjarahad (Army Historical Service). The second speaker shared his experience working at MyEduSolve, a company engaged in digital literacy. Meanwhile, the third and fourth interviewees, a husband and wife team, shared their experiences working at Museum Multatuli and ANRI (Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia) respectively.

In general, all four interviewees agreed that the career path for history graduates is wide open. It was also agreed that apart from writing, one of the main strengths possessed by history graduates is data analysis skills. This skill is one of the important indicators required by various fields of work today. However, life after graduation requires careful preparation. The step starts with recognizing one’s potential and preparing various supporting instruments in applying for a job, such as continuing to practice to improve one’s potential and preparing a good LinkedIn and CV (curriculum vitae).

“I summarize a little that what needs to be realized first is what your abilities are. One of the skills that we already have from our history major, and have also been equipped from the Department through internships or apprenticeships is our ability to write. That is the initial grip. So whether we want to be in the Army Historical Service, or start-ups, or ANRI and museums, our strength in writing, analyzing data, assembling periodization, and so on is a provision that turns out to be quite important in the world of work. And overall, thank you to Kasagama and the Department for providing today’s activities which are very helpful for us as fresh graduates,” said Aulia, a History major from 2019.

“The Kasagama alumni gathering conducted by the Department is very helpful for me in the future for the career path that I will choose or live after college. I am very grateful to the Department and the performers who have provided insight or initial knowledge to me about the world of work. And hopefully, in the future the graduates and I get a job or choice of level (red: career) that is following what is desired and the best for each, “said Sada, a student majoring in History class 2019.

Indeed, in recent years the History Department has continued to strive to improve additional skills for its students. Good communication has also been established with Kasagama to motivate, bridge, and increase self-confidence for prospective graduates. This is an effort to realize that the learning process does not stop at graduation. What has been acquired while studying at the Department of History is a provision that if developed can be more dense, contained, and useful because history is a source of inspiration for many things.