Yogyakarta, 27/8/2025 – The Master’s Program in Linguistics, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a public lecture entitled “An Outside Perspective: Classifying Languages in Multilingual Spoken Corpora” at the R. Soegondo Auditorium. The event was open to both the academic community and the general public, featuring Dr. Zara Maxwell-Smith, Lecturer in Indonesian Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS), UNSW Canberra, as the keynote speaker.

The lecture was officially opened by the Head of the Linguistics Master’s Program, Prof. Dr. Suhandano, M.A. In his remarks, he encouraged participants to collaborate in advancing linguistic research and to make the most of the opportunity to learn from the invited speaker.

In her presentation, Dr. Zara first highlighted the major challenges in building multilingual spoken corpora. She explained that such corpora are notoriously difficult to annotate and describe. The difficulties include managing non-verbal cues in transcripts, converting oral communication rules into written systems across different languages, transcriber subjectivity, and the significant amount of time required for manual transcription.

She then presented findings from her research on Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) classroom data. According to her, teachers’ speech is part of their professional identity, and training data can shape perceptions of teaching practice as well as teachers’ understanding of their own work. This, she noted, calls for sensitive approaches to avoid negative impacts on employment and professional reputation.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Zara emphasized the empirical benefits of such research. The findings provide valuable insights for teachers, curriculum developers, educational researchers, and policymakers. Moreover, the study helps advance the teaching of Indonesian, contributes to resources for bilingual natural language processing (NLP), and places education at the center of technological applications in the field of language.

Yogyakarta, 21/8/2025 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) has once again produced a new doctor in the field of linguistics. Novi Eka Susilowati officially earned her doctoral degree with her dissertation titled “The Use of Verbal Violence Metaphors Against Indonesian Politicians on Twitter.” The doctoral promotion session took place in the Multimedia Room, Margono Building, FIB UGM, with promoter Prof. Dr. I Dewa Putu Wijana, S.U., M.A., and co-promoter Dr. Hayatul Cholsy, M.Hum.

In her research, Novi discovered that political discourse on social media is rife with metaphors of verbal violence used by netizens to dehumanize and belittle politicians. The forms of these metaphors vary, ranging from words and phrases to sentences, drawing from source domains such as animals, trash, metaphysical beings, and physical objects. Interestingly, new metaphors unique to Indonesia’s digital culture have emerged, such as Mak Lampir and Kakek Sugiono.

During her speech, she identified six factors contributing to the use of verbal violence metaphors against politicians: (1) disappointment with politicians, (2) the political party ideology that supports the politicians, (3) access to social media, (4) the anonymity feature on Twitter, (5) the social distance between Twitter users and politicians, and (6) cultural context.

These findings indicate that social media is not merely a space for expression but also an arena for the reproduction of symbolic violence that can damage the positive image of politicians and diminish respect for their human rights. From a global perspective, this study is relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, which emphasizes the importance of peaceful communication, transparency, and respect for human dignity in public life.

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, 14/8/2025 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Gadjah Mada University (FIB UGM) warmly welcomed new students of the Master’s Program in Linguistics for the academic year 2025/2026 through the Academic Forum & Students Gathering held on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Soegondo Auditorium, 7th floor of FIB UGM. This event marks the initial step for new students to familiarize themselves with the academic environment while fostering a sense of community.

The event commenced with participant registration, followed by speeches from the Committee Chair, the Chair of Kalingga 2024, and culminated in an official address and symbolic opening by the Head of the Linguistics Master’s Program, Prof. Dr. Suhandano, M.A. During this opportunity, he provided profound guidance that resonated with the participants.

Prof. Suhandano began by presenting an overview of the study program, particularly regarding the curriculum designed to be completed over four semesters. “In this session, we discuss the program or curriculum here, so that new students have an idea of what they need to do during their studies,” he stated. This explanation serves as a tangible step to ensure that every student has access to quality and directed education, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of education in developing contexts.

Moreover, he emphasized the achievements attained by the Linguistics Master’s Program, which has received both superior accreditation and international accreditation. According to him, this achievement is the result of collaboration among faculty, educational staff, and students. “Let us continue, enhance, and maintain that collaboration together,” he encouraged with optimism. This aligns with efforts to improve the quality of higher education while expanding academic networks at the global level.

In his speech, Prof. Suhandano also revealed interesting data about the number of new students this year. A total of 71 individuals have registered and will be divided into two classes. “There are still some who have been accepted but are delaying registration, possibly waiting for scholarships,” he explained. More than half of the accepted students have received scholarships, which is a testament to the trust of scholarship providers in the quality of this study program. This achievement also reflects the equitable opportunity for learning without discrimination based on background.

The atmosphere became even warmer during the student introduction session. One of the standout moments was when an international student named Kenneth from Madagascar introduced himself. The significant geographical distance serves as evidence that the Linguistics Master’s Program at UGM has become a cross-border study choice, contributing to the strengthening of diversity and global collaboration.

With the motivational address from the Head of the Program, the series of activities continued with academic information sessions, concentration discussions, and various community-building activities. Through this event, new students not only gained academic understanding but also experienced the familial atmosphere that characterizes FIB UGM—an auspicious beginning aligned with the mission of creating inclusive, quality, and internationally competitive education.

The orientation activities also included workshops aimed at capacity building, equipping students with essential skills for their academic journey. These workshops are designed to enhance students’ competencies, ensuring they are well-prepared to face the challenges of their studies and future careers.

As the day progressed, students engaged in interactive sessions that encouraged collaboration and networking among peers. This initiative is part of FIB UGM’s commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment, which is crucial for personal and professional development in line with the SDGs.