There is a question that initially sounds simple but is difficult to answer: who has the right to tell women’s stories?

That question led Sofiana Martha Rini and her two colleagues, Priyo Joko Purnomo and Mulya Atmana Dwiyana WNA, much deeper. What began as an assignment for a prose course eventually developed into a paper presented at The 2nd International Conference Bali Gender Studies Forum (BGSF) 2026.

The paper, titled Walking in Her Shoes: Gender and Ethics of Representing Women in Post-Reform Indonesian Novels (2000–2025), went on to receive the Best Paper award at the conference, organized by Yayasan Bali Sruti on August 28–29, 2026, online.

For Sofiana, the paper did not suddenly emerge from a research desk piled high with books and theories. It began with a sense of unease.

One of the things that prompted it was Sofiana’s reading and reconsideration of the works of Panji Sukma. From there came questions about representation: how women are written, who writes them, and whether women’s experiences can truly be represented in their entirety by someone else.

The questions did not disappear after a single reading.

“The point is that we have to recognize that representation is difficult to make completely free from bias,” Sofiana said.

She even carried this concern into other discussions, including during a summer school, where she discussed representation and the boundaries one encounters when attempting to tell an experience that does not belong to oneself with Ramayda Akmal, a lecturer and literary writer, as well as Prof. Arnez.

From there, a topic that initially stemmed from a single work expanded into a broader question: how are women represented in Indonesian literature after the Reformasi era?

Together with her two colleagues, Sofiana did not stop at one or two novels. They read 21 Indonesian novels published between 2002 and 2025, written by both male and female authors from different literary backgrounds and ideological orientations.

One of the theoretical frameworks informing their analysis was Stuart Hall’s concept of representation. Within this framework, representation is not merely about making something visible or presenting something so that it can be seen. Rather, it is a process through which meaning is produced.

The question therefore shifted: who constructs meaning about women? From whose perspective are women’s experiences told? And who has the authority to represent women?

To examine these questions, they employed several theoretical tools, including Laura Mulvey’s concept of the male gaze, as well as the concepts of focalization and non-narratorial commentary in Mieke Bal’s narratology.

Their reading of dozens of female characters across the 21 novels revealed an interesting pattern.

Women increasingly appear at the center of stories. But being at the center of a story does not automatically mean being at the center of power. Women may speak. But who determines what that voice means?

In a number of novels, Sofiana and her team found that women were still largely positioned around male characters.

There are women who speak, feel, love, and even make decisions. Yet their voices remain within narrative structures determined by male characters.

They found one example in Ayat-Ayat Cinta by Habiburrahman El Shirazy. Aisha has her own voice and emotional experiences. However, the way readers come to understand those experiences remains closely connected to Fahri’s position as the center of the story.

Another pattern emerges when women become the main characters.

Yet once again, being a protagonist does not necessarily mean possessing authority.

In their reading of several novels, women may become the focus of the narrative, while decisions about how their bodies, experiences, trauma, and lives are interpreted can still be controlled by a larger narrative structure.

At this point, Sofiana identified an important distinction between agency and authority.

Women may possess agency—the ability to choose, act, refuse, and even resist. But that does not necessarily mean they possess the authority to determine how their own stories are understood.

Then comes another question: what happens when women write about women?

This question brought their research to its next stage. Does representation automatically become more ethical when women are the ones writing it? Their answer turned out to be more complicated than that.

Sofiana and her team also examined works written by female authors. In these works, they found that women could indeed appear with more diverse voices, experiences, and concerns.

But for them, the author’s gender is not the only measure. The issue is not simply who holds the pen. More important is how the text produces meaning about women and the extent to which it recognizes the limits of its authority when speaking about someone else’s experience.

That is why the conclusion of their paper feels more like a question deliberately left without closure:

Can we ever fully walk in her shoes?

Perhaps not. And precisely because of that, Sofiana and her team argue, literature needs to recognize that no one can ever completely walk in another person’s shoes.

The ethical task is not to pretend that one has arrived at or fully understood that experience. It is to recognize the limits.

Interestingly, the paper that eventually brought Sofiana the award began with something very close to everyday student life: a course assignment.

The paper originated as an assignment for a prose course. After completing it and reading it again, Sofiana and her two colleagues realized that there was an idea within it that could still be developed.

They then revised the paper and submitted it to the BGSF call for papers.

Yayasan Bali Sruti has long worked to develop publications in the fields of academic literacy, social and cultural studies, women and children, language, and public policy. The organization also has publication lines for conference proceedings and book chapters. Sofiana and her team’s paper was eventually presented online on August 28.

Their presentation time was also limited—only about six minutes.

Six minutes to bring 21 novels, several theories, concerns about representation, and questions of authority before an international forum.

In the end, it was that paper that brought Sofiana and her team the Best Paper award. The recognition came not simply because of the number of novels they had read or the theories they had employed. There was a longer journey behind it: a course assignment that did not remain merely an assignment, a concern that continued to occupy their thoughts, and a question that they carried all the way into the conference room.

Who has the right to tell women’s stories?

Sofiana herself does not offer a simple answer. Perhaps there is none.

Because the further she reads, the clearer it becomes that the question of representation is not merely about who gets to speak. Whenever someone speaks about another person, there will always be a part of that experience that can never completely belong to them.

 

Author: Khotibul Umam

The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), is pleased to announce the Call for Papers (CFP) for its 2026 International Dissemination event, themed “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization.” The event will be held online via Zoom Meeting on 4 November 2026, bringing together academics, researchers, lecturers, students, teachers, and literature enthusiasts from Indonesia and around the world to discuss the dynamic relationships between literature, culture, and society in today’s global context.

In addition to serving as an international academic forum, the event offers valuable publication opportunities, including publication in an ISBN-registered edited volume. Selected papers will also be recommended for publication in Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu Sastra (SINTA 2 accredited). Participation is free of charge, with no registration fee required.

The theme, “Literature in the Crosscurrents of Globalization,” reflects the increasingly intensive encounters among diverse cultures, values, and perspectives in the era of globalization. Advances in digital technology, human mobility, and transnational information exchange have transformed contemporary social and cultural life. Within this context, literature functions not only as a representation of reality but also as a space where identities, ideologies, traditions, and human experiences are negotiated, contested, and reimagined.

According to Rini Febriani, Chair of the Organizing Committee, the forum is expected to become a platform for exchanging ideas and research findings on cultural transformations occurring in today’s global society.

“Through this event, we aim to create a space for dialogue that brings together scholars and researchers from diverse backgrounds to discuss how literature represents, critiques, and transforms cultural changes in the era of globalization. We hope this dissemination forum will expand academic networks and foster productive research collaborations,” she stated.

The CFP welcomes submissions under several subthemes, including:

• Cultural Industry and the Standardization of Literature
• Literature as a Site of Power Negotiation
• Myth-Making in Popular Literature
• Contestation and Demystification of Narratives in Global Space
• Reconfiguring Localities in Globality

These subthemes provide opportunities for scholars to explore literary studies and cultural phenomena relevant to the development of contemporary global society.

Dr. Aprinus Salam, M.Hum., Head of the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, also expressed his support for the event. He emphasized that globalization not only facilitates interactions among cultures but also shapes the politics of literary production on a global scale.

“The themes emerging in contemporary literary works do not arise by chance. Behind their emergence lie global dynamics and power relations that influence the direction of literary production worldwide. Issues such as the environment, gender, and other contemporary concerns are often part of global currents that shape literary trends and orientations. Therefore, literature should be understood not only as an aesthetic work but also as an integral part of political economy and global cultural dynamics,” he explained.

Paper submission and registration will be open from 29 June to 4 September 2026. The peer-review process will take place from 5–26 September 2026, with acceptance notifications announced on 28 September 2026. Revised manuscripts must be submitted by 5 October 2026, while presentation materials are due on 26 October 2026. The International Dissemination Forum will be held on 4 November 2026.

Participants are invited to submit full papers in English through the official registration link provided by the organizing committee. Submitted manuscripts should be between 5,000 and 7,000 words and will undergo a selection and peer-review process before being accepted for presentation at the conference.

Through this International Dissemination event, the Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, aims to strengthen national and international academic networks, encourage cross-institutional collaboration, and provide a productive platform for scholarly discussions on literature and culture amid the complexities of globalization.

Further Information

Registration: https://bit.ly/Desiminasi2026UGM

General Information: https://bit.ly/GeneralInfoDissemination2026

WhatsApp Contacts:

• Ella: +62 823-2494-4082
• Mita: +62 813-9056-4071

Email: diseminasiugm@gmail.com

Author: Rini Febriani Hauri

Yogyakarta, June 9, 2026 – Students from the Master’s Program in Literature and the Undergraduate Program in Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture organized a manuscript exhibition titled Pusaka Kata (“Heritage of Words”) at the first-floor lobby of Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), on Tuesday (June 9). Held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the exhibition served as a platform for academic collaboration, bringing together the fields of philology, Javanese manuscript studies, and codicology in an effort to preserve and revitalize the manuscript heritage of the Indonesian archipelago.

The exhibition involved graduate students from the Philology and Javanese Manuscript Studies classes, as well as undergraduate students from the Codicology class of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Program. The event was supervised by Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., Dr. Arsanti Wulandari, S.S., M.Hum., and Zakariya Pamuji Aminullah, S.S., M.A.

Under the theme Pusaka Kata, the exhibition was inspired by the awareness that Nusantara manuscripts constitute invaluable intellectual and cultural heritage. These manuscripts preserve ancestral knowledge systems covering various aspects of life, including education, medicine, religious practices, and literature. However, beyond the threat of physical deterioration due to age, these manuscripts also face a growing challenge: the widening gap between younger generations and the knowledge contained within them.

The name Pusaka Kata was chosen to emphasize the significance of manuscripts as an intergenerational legacy. In Javanese tradition, pusaka refers not merely to an inherited object but to a trust passed down through generations, carrying values, identity, and responsibility. Meanwhile, kata (“words”) represents the medium through which knowledge has been preserved and transmitted from ancestors to future generations.

Interpreting Knowledge Preserved in Manuscripts

One of the highlights from the Philology class was a Malay-Islamic manuscript titled Kitab Jimat, Tangkal, dan Obat-obatan (Book of Talismans, Protective Charms, and Medicines). Digitized by the British Library through the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP), the manuscript contains knowledge related to self-protection, healing practices, and environmental safeguarding through prayers, Qur’anic verses, magical diagrams (rajah), and herbal remedies.

Fajar Nur Zaima explained that one of the most prominent sections of the manuscript discusses the virtues of Qur’anic verses, particularly the recitation of the basmalah. According to him, the manuscript presents the basmalah not merely as an opening formula but also as a source of blessings, protection, and safety in various aspects of life.

Another featured object was the section on talismans contained in Serat Primbon, a manuscript from the collection of the National Library of Indonesia, catalog number NB 973. This section includes at least twenty-nine types of talismans serving different purposes, ranging from attracting affection and maintaining health to ensuring safety and warding off misfortune.

Giandra Febriyan Haidar explained that talismanic texts can be understood as representations of how Javanese society perceived the relationship between humans, nature, and forces beyond everyday rationality. He cited a love talisman described in the manuscript as a means of gaining affection and social acceptance. In this context, he argued, talismans should not be viewed merely as magical objects but as symbols of human aspirations for harmonious social relationships.

Reading Manuscript Histories Through Physical Form and Aesthetics

The Javanese Manuscript Studies class presented research on the physical and aesthetic aspects of Javanese manuscripts. One exhibition item focused on a manuscript written in Javanese script, currently preserved in the Department of Nusantara Literature Library under the code 899.047.

Through this study, visitors were invited to understand manuscripts not only as textual repositories but also as cultural artifacts that document copying practices, literary traditions, and histories of ownership and transmission. Elements such as paper type, binding structure, script, and physical damage provide valuable information about a manuscript’s journey through time.

The class also showcased a study of manuscript illumination titled Wêdana Gapura Rênggan. The manuscript contains several texts, including Aji Pamasa, Mihradipun Jêng Nabi, Rajah Kalacakra, Jumbuhing Panembah, and Lêlampahanipun Raden Sahid.

Affan Akbar explained that manuscript illuminations serve not only as decorative elements but also as important sources of information regarding manuscript production processes. Observations of unfinished sketches and coloring revealed that the text had been written before the ornamental designs were added. Such findings provide insights into the stages undertaken by manuscript scribes in producing complete handwritten works.

Codicology and Creative Approaches to Manuscript Preservation

Meanwhile, the Codicology class introduced visitors to the study of manuscripts from a material perspective. Codicology examines manuscripts as physical objects, including their writing materials, binding techniques, ornaments, layouts, and patterns of damage that record traces of their historical use.

In addition to presenting research findings, students displayed practical projects such as manuscript covers, storage boxes, and hand-bound books accompanied by interpretive narratives.

One work that attracted particular attention was created by Arfia Kholifatul, who adopted the Javanese wayang character Semar as the central theme of her bookbinding and cover design. Through imagery inspired by shadow puppetry and botanical motifs, the work interpreted Javanese philosophical values such as urip iku urup—the belief that life should bring benefits to others. The upward-growing leaves and vines symbolized the continuous pursuit of truth and the sustainability of life.

Through the collaboration of these three academic fields, the Pusaka Kata Exhibition offered a comprehensive perspective on manuscripts as living cultural heritage. Rather than being regarded merely as historical artifacts preserved in archives, manuscripts were presented as enduring sources of knowledge that can continue to be read, understood, and reinterpreted by contemporary generations.

Author: Khotibul Umam

Yogyakarta, June, 4 2026 — A public lecture featuring Min Seong Kim was held on Thursday, June 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room 205 of the Poerbatjaraka Building. On this occasion, Kim delivered a presentation entitled “Trembling Grounds of the Archipelago: Pluriversal Ontopolitics and More-than-Human Antagonism,” a study that reexamines the foundational assumptions of pluriversal politics through ecological and political experiences emerging across the Indonesian archipelago.

In his presentation, Kim addressed ongoing debates surrounding pluriversal politics that have recently gained prominence within environmental studies, decolonial thought, and posthumanist scholarship. As articulated by a number of contemporary thinkers, pluriversal politics seeks to challenge the modern worldview that separates humans from nature and treats the world as an object to be mastered and controlled. Instead, this perspective emphasizes that life is constituted through networks of interdependent relations among humans and a wide range of nonhuman entities, including animals, plants, landscapes, and the material forces of the earth.

According to Kim, pluriversal politics is generally grounded in the assumption that relationality constitutes the ontological basis of life. From this perspective, politics is understood as the effort to establish and sustain relationships that enable diverse forms of existence to coexist. However, Kim questioned whether relationality can truly serve as an adequate foundation for understanding political dynamics, particularly when confronted with conflict, tension, and division that cannot always be resolved through reconciliation and relational repair.

To develop this critique, Kim drew on the works of Adam Bobbette and Sophie Chao, whose research explores various forms of human–nonhuman relations in Indonesia. The cases they examine demonstrate that interconnectedness among beings does not necessarily produce harmony. Rather, such relations are often marked by frictions, competing interests, and forms of instability that reveal the political dimensions of the more-than-human world. The presence of nonhuman actors in politics, therefore, not only creates possibilities for collaboration and relationality but also gives rise to antagonisms that shape social and ecological fields.

Building on this reading, Kim connected the question of more-than-human politics to the tradition of post-foundational political thought, particularly the concept of antagonism developed by Ernesto Laclau. Within this framework, antagonism refers to the condition that no social order can ever be fully complete, final, or free from conflict. Every attempt to establish order inevitably encounters something that cannot be fully integrated into the existing system. Politics, therefore, is never simply a matter of creating relationships; it must also contend with the limits, tensions, and forms of negativity that accompany every mode of collective existence.

Through this analysis, Kim proposed that conflict and negativity should occupy a more central place in discussions of pluriversalism. Rather than treating relationality as a pre-given foundation, he argued that collective life—whether among humans or between humans and nonhumans—is always shaped through processes of negotiation, struggle, and antagonism that can never be entirely eliminated.

The public lecture offered a critical perspective on contemporary developments in political theory and ecological thought while opening a space for reflection on how societies understand their relationship with a world that extends beyond the human. At a time of growing concern over ecological crises and interspecies relations, Kim’s presentation provided a compelling framework for understanding conflict, tension, and uncertainty as inseparable dimensions of political life itself.

Author: Khotibul Umam

Yogyakarta, May 16, 2026 – At Pondok A. Salam Kalimasada in Pakem, Sleman, Yogyakarta, a new chapter of Matragama became more than merely an organizational agenda. It transformed into a gathering space for people who believe that literature still needs to be nurtured collectively. Since 6:00 PM WIB, people arrived one by one, bringing voices, stories, laughter, and memories. They sat on woven mats in the cold night air, while the dim light in the corner of the lodge made every conversation feel more intimate. The event was attended by the extended Matragama family from various generations, doctoral students of Humanities Studies, and invited guests from Middle Eastern Cultural Studies, American Studies, Linguistics, History, Anthropology, and various circles within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM.

Since its establishment in 2022 under the leadership of Billy, Matragama has continued moving forward through a relay of generations. Leadership was then continued by Awan in the second generation, and now enters a new phase with Brian steering the third generation. That evening marked a sign that the relay had not stopped. Amid the cold air of Pakem and the warmth of conversations beginning to grow, Matragama seemed to be rediscovering its flame.

The head of Matragama, Giandra Febrian Haidar, opened the event in a calm yet confident tone. In his remarks, he expressed hope that literature would not remain confined to classrooms alone, but would also grow in gathering spaces, through long nights, and among people who still wish to listen to one another.

The Head of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature, Aprinus Salam, was also present and delivered warm remarks. Before the students and invited guests, he emphasized the importance of organizing and building communities as part of intellectual and cultural processes. According to him, literature cannot live in isolation. It grows through encounters, conversations, and collective work. Aprinus also stated that Pondok A. Salam Kalimasada could serve as a venue for literary and artistic activities—an open house for anyone wishing to keep the pulse of culture alive.

After the opening session, warmly guided by Pute as the host, poem after poem began to be recited. Short stories were brought to life through voices. Under the theme Little Candles at the Foot of Merapi, moments of silence felt deeply meaningful, as though everyone was gathering something from within themselves. The readers appeared one after another: M. Iqbal Saputra, Romzul Falah, Awabeen Samsuding, Ella Manikam, Nuzul Ilmiawan, Islahudin Muhammad, Khatibul Umam, and several invited guests. They did not merely read poetry, but also shared anxieties and inner experiences with the audience.

At times, the sound of crickets slipped between the poetry readings. Some listeners bowed their heads in silence as the poems were recited. Then a light drizzle fell gently, as though helping preserve the calm and warmth of the night. As the rain grew heavier, some participants slowly moved to the terrace and inside the lodge while continuing to listen attentively. Words continued floating through the night air, mingling with the cold winds from the slopes of Mount Merapi and the aroma of coffee and boiled soybeans wafting from the lodge.

In between sessions, M. Iqbal Saputra, a committee member from the technical division, shared his reflections on the importance of literary appreciation nights such as this. According to him, events like the launch of Matragama are something that should exist amidst the turbulence of changing times. He said that poetry, storytelling, and even simple discussions are efforts to become whole human beings again—to see life from various perspectives and then determine one’s path, whether through writing, action, or perhaps simply through a smile.

One of the evening’s most captivating moments came through a dramatic reading by Luthfi, a doctoral student in Humanities at UGM. The dramatic performance transformed the text from mere writing into a moving body, a pulsating voice, and emotions vividly alive before the audience’s eyes. The invited guests were swept into the intimate yet energetic atmosphere.

In the middle of the appreciation night, Rini Febriani Hauri read her short story titled The Three Deaths of Dayang Temulun in a calm and rhythmic voice. The climax of the event came when Rini’s short story was discussed collectively. The discussion was moderated by Giandra, featuring Ricky Yudhistira Nasution, a doctoral student in Humanities at UGM, as the speaker. The short story, which won Second Place in the 2025 International HB Jassin Award, was explored through the lens of magical realism—a landscape where bodies, earth, trees, mist, and memories coexist without rigid boundaries between the real and the supernatural. The discussion unfolded warmly. It examined how literature operates within collective memory, myth, the body, and human history. Participants listened enthusiastically; some remained silent in contemplation, while others immersed themselves in endless interpretive possibilities.

The night grew later, yet no one truly wished to leave. After the entire series of events concluded, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Some people sang together, while others chatted freely, joked, and shared long laughter. Some sat in circles discussing books and literature, while others simply enjoyed the night while exchanging unfinished life stories beyond the formal forum. It was there that Matragama truly felt alive—not in banners, event schedules, or ceremonial formalities, but in encounters and conversations that continued glowing deep into the night.

Several invited guests from various departments and communities within UGM’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences also shared reflections and hopes for Matragama. Representatives from Middle Eastern Cultural Studies, American Studies, Linguistics, History, and Anthropology expressed hopes that inter-organizational bonds would continue warmly. They also wished for Matragama to have a long life and remain consistent as a shared space for nurturing literature, art, and culture.

At the foot of Merapi that night, literature appeared like little candles—not grand, but enough to keep the warmth of encounters and conversations alive. The drizzle still fell softly as people slowly began leaving Pondok Kalimasada one by one.

Author: Rini Febriani Hauri