The American Studies Master’s Program proudly congratulates three students, Evelyn Sekar Rossary, Glory Emanuelle, and Mbulan Liyu Andadari for successfully presenting their research poster at the 17th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS2026) held in Tokyo, Japan, from May 09-13, 2026.

Organized by IAFOR (the International Academic Forum), ACSS2026 is one of their international conferences that brings together students, researchers, and educators from various institutions in the world to exchange ideas about intercultural diversity. This year’s conference received more than 800 presentation submissions from 77 countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, India, Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore.

Among the accepted presentations was the research poster by Evelyn, Glory, and Liyu entitled “Negotiating Gender and Embodiment: Mpreg as a Queer Narrative Seen Through a Feminist Lens.” This research shows the representations of male pregnancy (mpreg) in Indonesian X communities and examines how these narratives are interpreted through feminist perspectives. The research identifies diverse responses to mpreg narratives, from feminist resistance to traditional gender expectations to their consumption as forms of entertainment and creative expression within online communities. 

Their presentation attracted a lot of interest among conference participants. Many attendees were curious about the topic and appreciated the opportunity to learn about an issue that is still rarely discussed openly in Indonesia. They received thoughtful questions, constructive feedback, and positive responses from fellow researchers.

For Evelyn, Glory, and Liyu, attending ACSS2026 was more than just an opportunity to present their research. The conference provided valuable opportunities to engage with scholars from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, exchange ideas, and establish international academic networks. They enjoyed learning and discussing topics related to gender, identity, and representation with different perspectives and different cultural views as the participants came from different countries.

Author: American Studies Program

The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a public lecture entitled “The Strategic Profession of Sworn Translators.” The event featured Anisa Syifa Amalia, S.S., M.I.S., a sworn translator for Indonesian–Korean and Korean–Indonesian language pairs, as well as an alumna of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Class of 2011. The lecture was open to all students of the study program and was mandatory for students enrolled in the Korean Comprehensive Language 2 course.

During the session, the speaker shared her professional journey as a translator and explained the vital role of sworn translators in supporting legal affairs, business activities, and international cooperation. Students were introduced to various aspects of the profession, including the code of ethics, competency standards, certification process, as well as the challenges and career opportunities emerging in the era of technological advancement and artificial intelligence (AI). The speaker also emphasized the importance of maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and accountability in translation work, particularly when dealing with documents that carry legal implications.

Through this public lecture, students gained broader insights into the profession of sworn translators as a promising career path for graduates of Korean Language and Culture Studies. The event also provided a practical understanding of the competencies that students need to develop early on in order to remain competitive and contribute effectively in professional environments.

It is hoped that this activity will encourage students to continuously enhance their language proficiency, strengthen their professionalism, and prepare themselves for various career opportunities that require linguistic expertise and intercultural communication skills in the future.

Author: Eunike Serafia N.S

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), in collaboration with the Université de Montréal (Canada), is organizing the 2026 Off-Campus Summer School program. Under the theme “The New Orientalism: Understanding the Paradoxes of Mass Tourism in Southeast Asia,” this program invites students from various countries to critically examine the challenges and real-world impacts of the mass tourism industry. This event was the fourth installment of the “Political Issues in Southeast Asia” (POL6615) seminar series, attended by 32 selected students—16 from Canada and 16 from Southeast Asia.

Rooted in the framework of critical tourism studies, this Summer School invites students to understand the contradictory processes generated by the enthusiasm for mass tourism. The phenomenon of tourism in Southeast Asia is seen as presenting real ambiguities; on the one hand, it can foster cultural exchange and economic growth, but on the other hand, it contributes to the commodification of culture, the destruction of local ecosystems, and the construction of an imaginary “authenticity” for the sake of market interests. To explore these complexities, this program emphasizes a comprehensive pedagogical approach. Participants not only listen to theoretical presentations by experts at the R. Soegondo Building, Faculty of Humanities, UGM, but are also immersed in the field to conduct participant-observation research in small groups in Yogyakarta, a major destination rich in cultural and ecological heritage. As part of the academic requirements, every student is required to contribute to the course, prepare summaries of required readings, and produce research reports and reflective journals.

The theoretical complexity surrounding this tourism paradox was immediately brought to life on the first day through a keynote lecture delivered by Prof. Devi Roza K. Kausar, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at Pancasila University. In her lecture titled “The Challenges and Paradoxes of Cultural Tourism in Yogyakarta,” Prof. Devi highlighted the ongoing tension between cultural preservation and the commercial expectations of tourism. He specifically analyzed the case study of the Borobudur Temple World Heritage Site to illustrate the real conflict of interest between the economic development of priority destinations and the conservation of cultural heritage.

The Borobudur case clearly demonstrates that tourism is not merely an ordinary economic activity, but rather a political decision shaped by power dynamics, institutional fragmentation, infrastructure priorities, and competing development visions. Through this analysis of a specific case, students are directly invited to critically reflect on how a cultural element is presented to the public, who actually benefits most from this industry, and how young researchers should position themselves ethically when conducting studies in socially and culturally complex environments.

Through this Off-Campus Summer School program, students are expected to move beyond a black-and-white view of tourism as something that is either “beneficial” or “harmful.” The goal is for them to graduate with a more nuanced understanding, while also developing research methodology, academic presentation, and cross-cultural collaboration skills that are crucial for future researchers.

[Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman]

Students of the Undergraduate Archaeology Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated in a field visit on iconography at Plaosan Temple, Klaten, on Sunday (June 7, 2026). Led by Sir Aditya Revianur, M.Hum., the activity introduced students to Buddhist iconography through direct observation of statues and reliefs found within the temple complex. During the visit, students learned to identify various visual attributes, postures, and symbolic elements that play an important role in recognizing Buddhist figures in archaeological remains.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of Buddhist iconography, students were assigned to describe selected statues and reliefs observed during the visit. This exercise provided an opportunity to develop observation and documentation skills while engaging directly with archaeological remains. By studying the monuments firsthand, students were able to connect classroom knowledge with practical field experience and gain a deeper understanding of iconographic studies in archaeology.

Nama Penulis: Muhammad Irsyad

Pemilik Foto: Aditya Revianur, M.Hum.

Betari Ardya Febbyaliza, a 2023 student of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), won Second Place in the Shodou Taikai Isshoni Tanomimashou competition organized online by the Japanese Literature Student Association of the Faculty of Cultural Studies, Universitas Brawijaya. The competition was attended by 29 participants from various universities across Indonesia. The winners were announced through Zoom and the official Isshoni Tanomimashou social media account on Saturday, 23 May 2026. For this achievement, Betari received an e-certificate and a cash award.

In preparation for the competition, Betari received guidance from Akbar Rizqi Dhea Habibi, S.S., M.A., a lecturer of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at UGM who also teaches the Shuuji (Japanese Calligraphy) course during the Even Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year. The judging criteria included stroke order, the proper use of tomaru, haneru, and harau techniques, the aesthetic quality of the characters, and character proportion.

This achievement reflects the continuous development of BKJ UGM students’ competencies in Japanese language and culture. Through the Shuuji (Japanese Calligraphy) course, students not only learn the techniques of Japanese character writing but also develop an appreciation for the aesthetics, precision, and discipline that form an integral part of Japanese cultural traditions.

[Barra Taura Nursaid]