SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Cultural diversity | SDGs 8: Creativity and innovation | SDGs 10: Culture | SDGs 11: Cultural heritage

It has been a year since the 12th Gugur Gunung successfully hit the stage with the lively and spectacular ketoprak wayang gedhog titled Panji Kudanarawangsa. This year, proudly, the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program presented the 13th Gugur Gunung to all, especially the Mahadaya!

Gugur Gunung is an annual event held to commemorate the anniversary of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. In the event, the students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program collaborate to present various cultures of the archipelago, especially Javanese culture.

This time, the theme is “Holopis Kuntul Baris”, a Javanese philosophy that is close to Gugur Gunung activities. “Holopis Kuntul Baris” depicts a line of egrets flying in a pointed pattern. This philosophy is a symbol of joint efforts to solve problems, or what we know as gotong royong. Gotong royong is a manifestation of the Javanese sociocultural society that upholds patembayatan, which means living side by side in harmony,

There are two major events that will enliven the 13th Gugur Gunung:

1. Jawaisme Fest

Jawaisme Fest is a Javanese cultural exhibition featuring all things traditional such as traditional games, traditional clothing, performing arts, customs, tata cara, weton, and so on. There are also traditional food tenants that are appetizing. Jawaisme Fest was held on May 13-14, 2024, 09.00 AM-06.00 PM WIB, at Margono Hall, 1st floor, Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM.

1. Popular Arts Performance

The Popular Arts Performance will feature a Jathilan Dance Drama entitled “Turangga Sastra Nuswantara” presented by a collaboration of students of the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program. This art performance will take place in Greenland, Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM, on May 14, 2024, starting at 03.00 PM until completion. The Popular Arts Performance will be enlivened by a performance from Lala Atila. 

Author: Haryo Untoro

SDGs 4 Quality Education | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 4: Cultural diversity | SDGs 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | SDGs 1: Non-discrimination

American Literature is one of the courses in the Master’s Program in American Studies that uses American literary works from the classical era to Post-Modernism as the objects and materials for discussion. This American Literature class provides students with a new experience in exploring the relationship between American literary works and the country itself. Based on the understanding that the narrative of a literary work represents the author’s thoughts on the events they have experienced and the occurrences around them, this class presents various understandings of American literature and how it projects the state of society in each era, such as the Romanticism, Realism, and Harlem Renaissance eras.

In this lecture, the discussion began with an explanation of the Post-Modernism era, which emerged around the 1960s. With the development of new art forms like performance art as a result of World War II, other forms of art, including literary works, were also influenced, especially in terms of characteristics. Some of the characteristics explained in this session include how writers began to focus on the experiences of others with different backgrounds, or write about how power and ideology from those in power can influence society’s perception of their surroundings, while also raising awareness among the public about everything they believe in and hold dear.

Using Amanda Gorman’s work, ‘The Hill We Climb,’ which was recited during President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, the class discussion connected the author, a young Black woman, with America, particularly in its real-world context. Through presentations and discussions between students and the professor, this class produced various interpretations of how this poem depicts American democracy from a minority perspective. After lengthy discussions, the result of these student-professor dialogues and interpretations was that, despite America’s many ‘sins’ in the past, especially towards Black people, this poem serves as a call for all Americans, regardless of race, to pass on a better democracy and country to future generations.

Besides conducting an in-depth discussion on the meaning of a literary work, the conversation also delved into the writing style of Black authors, who use certain linguistic structures, and the presence of intertextuality, or the use of writings from other Black authors to reinforce the message being conveyed. Moreover, the discussion covered the characteristics of post-modernist literature and how ‘The Hill We Climb’ embodies one of these post-modernist traits.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Basic literacy | SDGs 4: Basic literacy skills | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDGs 10: Education | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDGs 12: Efficient use of resources | SDG 16: Peace justice and strong institutions | SDGs 16: Education

The Department of Anthropology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a public lecture addressing an important societal issue: the gap between knowledge and action. This work skills-related lecture was held on May 8, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Soegondo Building 707, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The lecture was intended for undergraduate Cultural Anthropology students taking the work skills course but was also open to the public.

The keynote speaker at this event was Dr. Nicholas Goodwin, an expert in behavior change and CEO of Tulodo, a consultancy focused on promoting positive behavior change in society. Dr. Goodwin was accompanied by two work skills course lecturers, Dr. Pande Made Kutanegara, M.Si., and Prof. Dr. Bambang Hudayana, M.A., who provided additional contributions to the discussion.

In his lecture, Dr. Nicholas Goodwin highlighted a major societal issue: many people know what they should do but are either unable or unwilling to do it. An example provided was knowing the importance of doing good deeds but failing to implement them in daily life. “The gap between knowledge and behavior is often overlooked or considered the same, whereas they have significant differences,” stated Dr. Nicholas Goodwin.

According to Dr. Nicholas Goodwin, the lack of understanding of the difference between knowledge and behavior is the root of the problem. To address this, a better understanding is needed on how knowledge can be transformed into consistent and sustainable actions. Dr. Nicholas Goodwin also introduced the concept of “work skills pockets” developed by Tulodo, aimed at providing practical tools and strategies for individuals to change their behavior.

This public lecture aligns with the spirit of SDG number 4, which aims to provide quality education for all, and SDG number 8, which emphasizes the importance of creating decent work and sustainable economic growth. By enhancing the understanding of the difference between knowledge and behavior, and by developing comprehensive work skills pockets, it is hoped to contribute positively to achieving these SDG goals.

This work skills public lecture is expected to provide new insights for UGM Anthropology Department students on the importance of transforming knowledge into concrete actions in daily life. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this lecture can be implemented by students in their roles in society to create positive and sustainable change.

Author: Afif Naufal Widiadi

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Access to education | SDGs 4: Equal access | SDG 9: Industry innovation and infrastructure | SDG 9: Cooperation | SDGs 9: Financial services | SDG 10: Reduced inequality | SDGs 10: Education | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals | SDGs 17: Global partnership

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Cultural diversity | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDGs 4: Education in developing | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDG 9: Industry innovation and infrastructure | SDGs 9: Affordable access | SDGs 9: Cooperation | SDG 10: Reduced inequality | SDGs 10: Culture | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDGs 11: Community | SDG 16: Peace justice and strong institutions | SDGs 16: Accountable institutions | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals | SDGs 17: Capacity building | SDGs 17: Foreign direct investments | SDGs 17: Global partnership

On Thursday, April 25th 2024, Ms. Alfiana, a lecturer from the Korean language and culture major, presented her paper titled “The social economic background of Indonesian students and their determining factor to study in Korea” in the Daegu University Center for Multiculturalism and Social Policy’s (DU CMSP) colloquium. The colloquium was attended by multidisciplinary educational professors and researchers who showed their interest in Korean studies in Indonesia by asking numerous questions despite the lack of research in both countries.

Currently, research on Korean studies is dominated by Korean language-related topics. But unfortunately, compared to the Southeast Asia region’s countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, the number of research studies was left behind. Thus, DU CMSP welcomes the new path of research collaboration with the Faculty of Cultural Science (FIB) at UGM and offers a research collaboration agreement. The agreement was signed by DU CMSP’s chief, Prof. Yun Jae Woon, after a colloquium, and later signed by the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Science, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, S. Sos, and M. Si in Indonesia. This collaborative research agreement expects to build strong cooperation between two institutions and boost the number of research publications in Indonesia and Korea, especially those related to Korean studies. Research and publications in the long term have a role to play in offering problem resolutions for some current issues in Korea, such as inequality among immigrants, which becomes the world’s sustainable development goal number 10, to reduce inequality. 

The lecture continued to the next day, April 26th 2024, at the 2024 DCU CMS ASKA DU CMSP Joint International Conference, which was held at Daegu Catholic University in Gyeongsan City, Korea. A representative of UGM, Ms. Alfiana, was given a chance to open the first term by presenting her research, “The culture shock and reverse culture shock among Indonesian exchange students: focusing on UGM students.” The joint international conference between the Center of Multicultural Society of Daegu Catholic University, the Association for the Studies of Korean Living Abroad, and the Center for Multiculturalism and Social Policy has opened up chances for Korean students and professors to understand the condition of Indonesian exchange students in Korea. Some students from UGM also listened to the lecturers by zoom. In the future, it is expected to hold a joint international conference in Indonesia.