Students of the Dialectology class from the Master’s Program in Linguistics, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada conducted a fieldwork program in Ngablak District, Magelang Regency, Central Java, as part of strengthening their linguistic research competencies. The activity focused on the study of Javanese dialect variations based on the geographical and social aspects of its speech communities.

Javanese is one of the regional languages with the largest number of speakers in Indonesia and is widely spoken across various parts of the archipelago. Through this fieldwork program, the students carried out dialectological research to observe the phonological, lexical, and semantic variations of Javanese used by communities in five villages in Ngablak District, namely Ngablak, Seloprojo, Genikan, Kanigoro, and Tejosari. These areas were selected due to their highland geographical characteristics, where vegetable farming serves as the primary economic activity of the local communities.

The social and geographical characteristics of the Ngablak community are considered to have a strong influence on the development of language variation. The communication patterns of agrarian communities, differences in altitude, and the geographical conditions of mountainous areas potentially contribute to the emergence of distinctive lexical variations, particularly those related to agricultural terminology and local wisdom.

The research was conducted through direct interviews with local residents using a 200-word Swadesh list as the research instrument. Conversations between the students and informants were recorded with the consent of the participants as part of the linguistic data documentation process. The recorded data were then transcribed phonetically to identify lexical variations found in each research location.

Furthermore, the collected linguistic data will be analyzed using dialectometric methods to map the levels of similarity and difference among dialects across villages. Through this activity, students not only gained direct experience in field-based linguistic research but also contributed to the documentation and mapping of regional language diversity in Indonesia.

This Dialectology fieldwork program reflects the commitment of the UGM Master’s Program in Linguistics to developing research-based learning while strengthening linguistic studies oriented toward the preservation of local languages and cultures.

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

The Japanese Language and Culture Student Association of Universitas Gadjah Mada (HIMAJE UGM) held a Study Visit Program with the Japanese Language and Culture Student Association of Universitas Diponegoro (HIMAWARI UNDIP) on Saturday, 25 April 2026, at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Organized by HIMAJE’s Public Relations Division, the program aimed to strengthen relationships among students while providing a platform for exchanging organizational experiences and insights.

The event began with presentations introducing the profiles and grand designs of both student associations, followed by a discussion session on organizational programs and student organization dynamics. In addition to the discussion, participants took part in student performances, interactive games, a plaque exchange ceremony, and a tour of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. Through this activity, HIMAJE UGM and HIMAWARI UNDIP are expected to further strengthen their relationship and foster future collaborations that will benefit both organizations.

Author: Barra Taura Nursaid

Yogyakarta, May 18, 2026 – The Arabic Language Education Program of Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ) and the Arabic Literature Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a study visit at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The activity served as a platform for students from both universities to exchange experiences, broaden their perspectives, and strengthen academic relationships. The event began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, followed by the singing of the Indonesian national anthem, the UGM Hymn, and the Universitas Negeri Jakarta March. A warm atmosphere was created through welcoming remarks delivered by student representatives and program leaders from both institutions.

During the main session, students from UNJ presented an overview of their study program, student activities, and various initiatives that have been implemented within their organization. The presentation was enthusiastically received by UGM students, who then shared insights into the academic environment and organizational activities within the Arabic Literature Program at UGM. This session provided an engaging forum for participants to gain a deeper understanding of each institution’s organizational culture and campus life. The event became even more interactive through a question-and-answer session conducted in a relaxed yet productive atmosphere. Various topics were discussed, ranging from the implementation of student programs to strategies for increasing student participation in both academic and non-academic activities. The exchange of ideas and experiences allowed participants to learn from one another and gain new perspectives on student organization management.

More than just an academic visit, this study visit served as an opportunity to strengthen friendships and foster closer ties between the Arabic Language Education Program of UNJ and the Arabic Literature Program of UGM. It is hoped that this activity will become the starting point for broader and more sustainable collaboration in the future, particularly in the areas of academics, student organizations, and student development.

Author: Indana Zulfa Maulida

“A research team from the Department of Anthropology UGM, led by Prof. Dr. Setiadi, M.Si., during a visit to Airlangga University as part of the ‘EQUITY by Subject’ research project.”

Since February 2026, the research team from the Department of Anthropology, led by Prof. Dr. Setiadi and Dr. Sita Hidayah, assisted by Sekar Alifah Ramadhanti and Muhammad Syukur Shidiq as student assistants participating in the ‘EQUITY by Subject’ research project, visited three universities offering anthropology programs, including Airlangga University, Brawijaya University, and Udayana University. This research focuses on three main topics: the role of anthropology in addressing global crises, graduate career readiness, and institutional evaluation to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.

The purpose of these visits was to explore best practices, institutional development strategies, academic governance, curriculum enhancement, research networks, and the contribution of anthropology to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, 10: Reduced Inequalities, 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Each visit included academic discussions, exchanges of experiences regarding the management of academic programs, research, and community service, and discussions on the challenges and opportunities for the development of anthropology in the global and digital era.

The implementation of these visits serves as a concrete manifestation of support for strengthening inter-institutional collaboration networks in the fields of education, research, and community development, and for documenting innovative practices that advance the implementation of the SDGs through an anthropological approach. The series of visits and comparative studies to the three institutions marks the first step toward initiating discussions on the future of anthropology through the framework of Future Studies and its contribution to achieving sustainable development. The future studies approach aims to shift from linear predictions to an exploratory approach to respond to changes in both the teaching and application of anthropology moving forward.

This research aims to formulate new possibilities (preferable futures) in which anthropology education becomes more adaptive, interdisciplinary, and capable of making tangible contributions to humanizing the future. The long-term hope for the field of anthropology is that it will transform from a passive observer into a decision-maker offering sustainable solutions.

As part of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s commitment to elevating higher education quality to international standards, this strategic initiative receives financial support from the EQUITY scheme. This step reflects the commitment of State Universities with Legal Entity Status (PTN-BH) to formulate policies that are more inclusive and resilient.

Author: Sekar Alifah Ramadhanti
Photo: Muhammad Syukur Shidiq
Editor: Okky Chandra Baskoro