The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through the organization of the Asia Theories Network (ATN) Workshop 2026, presents an international academic forum bringing together leading scholars from Asia, the United States, and Europe to discuss the paradoxes of globalization and disconnection in the digital era. The event will take place from May 22–24, 2026, in Room 709, Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Carrying the theme “Globalization and (Dis)Connectivity,” the workshop highlights various issues concerning the transformation of identities, communities, and institutions in an increasingly digitally connected world. Participants are invited to discuss how digital and cultural networks not only foster global integration but also generate new forms of social isolation and disconnection within contemporary society.

ATN Workshop 2026 will also feature interdisciplinary dialogues involving the fields of literature, education, politics, and cultural studies. Academics and researchers will explore a range of contemporary issues, including digital social movements, coalition politics, decolonial discourse, digital well-being, and Anthropocene-related issues concerning the relationship between humans and the environment. The combination of global and local perspectives in each session serves as one of the workshop’s major strengths, including discussions of regional cases such as Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and media controversies in Indonesia.

In addition to the academic forum, participants will also have the opportunity to experience the cultural richness of Yogyakarta through various cultural activities, including temple visits, traditional performances, and local culinary experiences. These activities aim to introduce Indonesian culture to the international academic community while strengthening cross-cultural exchange among nations.

The organization of the Asia Theories Network Workshop 2026 also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education through the strengthening of international academic collaboration and the development of critical scholarly discourse, SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities through intercultural dialogue and global-local perspectives, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through international academic cooperation among researchers, educational institutions, and intellectual communities from various countries.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Alma Syahwalani]

For many students, participating in an exchange program is not only about studying in a different country but also about stepping outside of their comfort zone and discovering fresh perspectives. Ardhanamesvari Nuringtyas Aji, known as Vari, is currently experiencing this journey at the National University of Singapore (NUS)  through the DiscoverNUS exchange program. This remarkable program empowers international students to study at NUS, with tuition fees fully covered for one semester. Vari discovered this opportunity through the Office of International Affairs’s website at Universitas Gadjah Mada (OIA UGM). 

Her decision to choose NUS came from practical considerations and personal curiosity. Unlike many students who may have long planned a specific destination, Vari described her choice as something that felt achievable and worth pursuing. “I saw the information and felt like I could meet all the requirements and timeline,” she shared. She felt that Singapore was a realistic opportunity, especially due to its proximity to Indonesia. With a desire to apply for an exchange program, she decided to seize the moment.

Before departing, Vari had to prepare many things, including preparing documents such as recommendation letters and a motivational letter, renewing her passport, and taking the IELTS test. Once accepted, there were still many practical matters to arrange, from issuing a student visa and applying for on-campus housing to selecting classes for the semester. Although demanding, these preparations became an important part of her transition into studying abroad.

Arriving in Singapore for the first time as an exchange student made a strong impression. Compared to Yogyakarta, Vari immediately noticed how different the atmosphere felt. “This city is so modern,” she said, describing Singapore as a place where “everywhere I go it’s very tidy and structured.” She was also surprised by the academic culture at NUS, where classroom participation plays a major role in students’ grades, making discussions highly active and interactive. Another thing that stood out to her was the relaxed dress culture on campus. At the same time, she realised that achieving high grades at NUS was considerably more challenging than she initially expected.

Having never lived outside Yogyakarta, Vari faced several challenges adapting to life in Singapore. She had to adjust to living independently in a shared dormitory, navigating public transportation, and keeping up with the demanding academic environment at the NUS, where active participation, projects, and discussions play a major role in class. To adapt, she gradually built new habits, including spending more time studying at the library. 

During the program, Vari’s daily routine gradually became more structured. On weekdays, she usually wakes up around eight or nine in the morning to have breakfast at her residence hall, which provides meals for students. Outside of academics, she often attends campus events, meets Indonesian friends for lunch, and studies at the library in the evening. In addition, she uses the weekends to explore Singapore together with friends and experience more of the city beyond campus life.

Through her exchange experience, Vari feels that she has grown both personally and academically. Living independently in a new country taught her to become more confident, adaptable, and disciplined, while studying in a highly competitive environment motivated her to work harder and be more consistent. Meeting people from different cultures also broadened her perspective in many ways. “I learned to be brave and confident in doing new things,” she shared.

Reflecting on her journey, Vari encourages other students not to be afraid of trying new opportunities abroad. She emphasises the importance of paying attention to timelines and administrative details, while also staying open to new experiences. For her, the exchange program became one of the most valuable experiences in her life, filled with meaningful lessons, unforgettable memories, and new friendships. “It might sound scary and intimidating at first,” she said, “but once you start the journey, you’ll thank yourself for giving it a try.”

During the final meeting of the first half of the Postcolonialism course, students of the Master’s Program in Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture titled Baltic Postcolonialism, delivered by Dr. Irma Budginaitė-Mačkinė, Associate Professor of Sociology at Vilnius University, Lithuania. Dr. Irma visited Indonesia as part of a research mobility scheme funded by Project MARS: Non-Western Migration from Global Perspectives.

The lecture was organized by Dr. Arifah Arum Candra Hayuningsih, the lecturer responsible for the first half of the Postcolonialism course. The guest lecture for the Master’s Program in Literature was held on Monday (27/4/2026) at Soegondo Building Room 224, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Postcolonialism is one of the compulsory courses designed to provide students with an understanding of the dynamics of colonialism and its impacts on various aspects of life, including language, literature, economics, politics, and culture. The course does not only focus on countries in Asia and Africa, but also covers other regions such as the Caribbean, Kenya, India, Vietnam, and Eastern Europe, including Lithuania, which experienced forms of domination different from classical colonialism.

These diverse colonial experiences gave rise to postcolonial thinkers who sought to critique and deconstruct colonial hegemony through reflective and critical ideas. Figures such as Aimé Césaire, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Chandra Talpade Mohanty, and Édouard Glissant contributed diverse perspectives in understanding colonialism and the process of decolonization.

In her presentation, the academic, whose interdisciplinary background spans political science and sociology, highlighted Lithuania’s ambiguous position within postcolonial studies, particularly in the post-Soviet context. To understand this ambiguity, Lithuania must be viewed within a post-imperial framework, as a country transitioning from the rule of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union into the post-Soviet era. Lithuania cannot easily be categorized as a “colonized” nation in the classical colonial sense, yet it still experienced forms of colonial-like domination.

Geographically, Lithuania covers an area of approximately 65,300 km², roughly half the size of Java Island, with a population of around 2.9 million people, comparable to the population of Yogyakarta City. Its national language, Lithuanian, belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family and remains an important part of the country’s national identity despite historical pressures.

Historically, Lithuania was once part of a political union through the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. However, in 1795, the country lost its sovereignty and became part of the Russian Empire. Since then, various policies demonstrated that the domination imposed upon Lithuania was neither simple nor singular, but systematic and complex.

During her presentation, the sociologist, who has conducted scientific research for more than a decade, also discussed the perspective of historian Darius Staliūnas, who described Russian domination in Lithuania as extending into many aspects of life. Politically, Lithuania was placed under external control that restricted national sovereignty. Socially, repression in the form of censorship and limitations on freedom became part of the people’s lived experience. Economically, exploitation and the redirection of economic orientation served the interests of the imperial center.

In the spheres of culture, language, and religion, this domination manifested through policies promoting Russification. The Russian government promoted Orthodox Christianity, limited the influence of the Catholic Church, and at one point prohibited the use of the Latin alphabet. These policies reflected systematic attempts to displace Lithuania’s local identity. Furthermore, education and knowledge were also used as instruments of control to shape public ways of thinking according to the interests of those in power.

As a response to these pressures, Lithuanians demonstrated various forms of resistance, one of which was large-scale migration. Between 1865 and 1915, around 700,000 Lithuanians left their country and migrated to regions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Germany. This migration can be understood as an indirect form of resistance against the domination they experienced.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lithuania entered a post-Soviet transition phase marked by the restoration of political independence in 1990 and the end of direct external control. Nevertheless, the effects of previous domination continue to be felt today. Like many other Eastern European countries, Lithuania faces challenges as a relatively less-developed nation that is not yet fully modernized and is still striving to catch up with Western countries.

Therefore, Lithuania’s experience demonstrates that colonialism does not always take the form of explicit geographical occupation, but can also be recognized through complex and layered power relations. This ambiguity makes Lithuania a compelling case in postcolonial studies, while also expanding the scope of postcolonial analysis beyond the Global South.

[Magister Sastra, Selvia Parwati Putri]

Ciamis, 25 April 2026 — The Department of Intercultural Studies, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada held a Community Service Program (PkM) and Expert Lecture at Universitas Islam Darussalam on 25–26 April 2026. The event brought lecturers, students, and the pesantren community together in a setting that combined academic discussion with everyday interaction.

The visit also continued an existing connection between the two institutions, especially through Prof. Dr. K.H. Fadlil Munawwar Manshur. In his remarks, he described the program as more than a formal academic agenda. For him, it was a form of silaturahim, where knowledge is shared in a more personal and open way.

The delegation was led by Prof. Dr. Aris Munandar, who spoke about the role of American Studies in reading global influence. He pointed out that influence does not always come in direct or visible forms. In many cases, it appears through everyday habits such as academic writing, publication systems, and standards that scholars gradually follow. 

Therefore, according to him, the American Studies program plays an important role in helping scholars critically recognize and navigate these subtle influences, which often emerge through habits in academic writing, publication systems, and scholarly standards.

Several speakers then presented their topics in parallel sessions. Dr. Mahmudah discussed feminism in Arabic literature and its place in Islamic education. Dr. Amin Basuki focused on how American academic patterns can be seen in SINTA-indexed journals, especially in the way articles are structured and evaluated. Dr. Muhammad Zakki Masykur talked about Arabic and the works of Javanese ulama which showed that local traditions remain active in knowledge production. Meanwhile, Dr. Stedi Wardoyo explained how morality in Japanese society often grows from family life and social habits, not only from religion.

Outside the formal sessions, the program also included shared activities such as joining the Shalawat Burdah gathering with the pesantren community. Moments like this made the visit feel less formal and more connected. It showed that community service is not only about delivering material, but also about building relationships.

As an institution that provides education from early levels to university, Universitas Islam Darussalam also offers space for future collaboration, especially in character education. This program, in a simple way, shows that academic cooperation can grow through meeting, talking, and spending time together.

Yogyakarta, April 26, 2026 — Prof. Dr. Atik Triratnawati conducted a community service activity by delivering a lecture related to her field at Teladan State High School in Yogyakarta. The title of her lecture posed the question “Masuk Angin (Catching a Cold): A Blessing or a Curse?” and opened up a relevant discussion in the health and well-being sector. The term “masuk angin” has long been part of Indonesian society. The public’s understanding of “masuk angin” highlights the importance of an inclusive and culturally-based approach to health.

Many people still rely on traditional methods such as scraping therapy, herbal remedies, and rest as initial treatments. These practices reflect local wisdom that has the potential to support the healthcare system, provided they are balanced with appropriate medical education. “Masuk angin” is described as a Javanese concept of illness caused by an excess of wind elements within the body. Javanese cosmology forms the basis for health and illness; in medical anthropology, this is referred to as the hot-cold theory.

Prof. Atik explains that “masuk angin” is not a disease or sickness. However, she notes that “masuk angin” falls under magico-religious models—meaning this condition arises from spiritual or supernatural causes, so its treatment follows accordingly, such as scraping therapy (kerokan/pijat), consuming herbal remedies (jamu), and other practices. Additionally, it is referred to as holistic models, where health is viewed as the result of a balance among various aspects of life—not merely the physical. Physical conditions may be influenced by psychological, social, environmental, or spiritual factors, such as stress or an unhealthy lifestyle. She also explained that “wind entering the body” is categorized into several types: ordinary (mild) wind, severe wind, and “kasep” wind (sedentary wind). Her interpretations regarding “masuk angin” include health disorders (illness), failure to adapt, a reflection of low bodily resilience, a signal to rest, and “angin duduk” as a result of magical influences.

Prof. Atik focuses on the field of health from an anthropological perspective. This is because health literacy is key to building a community that is aware of its physical condition. Appropriate education can help the public distinguish between mild symptoms and serious illnesses requiring medical intervention. Additionally, a culture-based approach helps reach communities with limited access to formal healthcare services. By integrating local knowledge into the healthcare system, it is hoped that no group will be left behind.

This discussion underscores that traditional practices such as “catching a chill” are not always an obstacle to health development; rather, they can serve as a bridge toward a more inclusive and sustainable healthcare system. Collaboration among healthcare professionals, academics, and the community is key to achieving this goal.

Author: Dewi Widyastuti
Photo: Prof. Dr. Atik Triratnawati, M.A.