The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, on Thursday, May 30, 2024, provided training to students, especially the 2023 linguistics master study program on academic writing. The activity was held at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and was opened by remarks from the Head of the Linguistics Master Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, Dr. Suhandano. He also introduced the speakers and activities that would be delivered by the speakers to students. He expressed his gratitude to the speakers who had been willing to share their knowledge. In addition, he also gave advice to students about the importance of this activity to support academic careers, especially the requirements for thesis exams so that students must take a lot of knowledge from these activities.

The first speaker at the Academic writing workshop was Dr. Badli Esham Ahmad. He conveyed the importance of publishing journals for master students and shared tips on choosing journals to be published, namely as follows: Journals that match the theme of the article, be careful with predatory journals, and the need to pay attention to the open access offered by the journal, whether it is paid or not, what the index of the journal is, and how the review process is. In publishing a journal, what needs to be done first is to complete the journal article first, then search and find a suitable journal as a place for publication of the journal article. After finding a suitable journal, make sure the topic, theme, and scope are appropriate, follow the journal’s provisions, and can also send an email to the editor to ensure the topic or theme of the journal article matches the scope requested by the journal.

The second speaker was Prof. Madya Dr. Kamisah Binti Ariffin (S.A.P.). She motivated the students to stay in the process of writing and publishing journals. Her tips were that first, in choosing the title (topic) of the article, we need to see something that is still less researched on the topic, so that the topic will be interesting and unique, different from the research that has been done. Second, we can search for previous research related to the topic through Google to find out the gaps that are still under-researched from the topic. Third, we must look at the scope of a journal, find the appropriate one, and follow the writing guidelines. The event was closed by handing over souvenirs from the Head of the UGM Master of Linguistics Study Program and a group photo.

The Literary Expert Lecture was held on Monday, May 13, 2024 in the Auditorium Room of Soegondo Building 7th Floor and Zoom Meeting at 13.00-16.00 WIB. The three speakers that afternoon were Leila S. Chudori, T.A. Prapancha Hary, Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum. Leila S. Chudori is a retired Tempo journalist and Indonesian writer who has written numerous short stories, novels, and television drama screenplays. Her books that have been published by KPG Publishers are Malam Terakhir, Pulang, Nadira, Laut Bercerita in softcover and hardcover versions, and most recently, Namaku Alam. Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum. is an extraordinary lecturer at the History Study Program, Javanese Literature and Culture Study Program, as well as S2 and S3 Literature Study Programs at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. T.A. Prapancha Hary or familiarly called Mas Tatung, is a clinical psychologist and lecturer at a private university in Yogyakarta, as well as Abdi Dalem Kraton Yogyakarta. He was born and raised in Yogyakarta, pursuing his undergraduate and postgraduate education at the Faculty of Psychology, Gadjah Mada University.

Leila S. Chudori, as the first speaker, explained about her journey in writing the novel “Namaku Alam”. Since the beginning of writing Namaku Alam, Leila planned a storyline that contained a search, identity, and the process of finding answers. This begins with the characterization of the protagonist, the research process for novel writing, the initial design of the basic framework of the story to be written, the formation of the main character and important characters, the finalization of the basic framework of the story, and the concoction of several themes raised in the novel. Leila tries to show that in dark situations there is always hope. For example, Leila tries to show how people who are repressed in the past can still tell their stories through various ways and mediums.

Through the presentation of Dr. Sudibyo, M.Hum., he explained that in the novel “Namaku Alam” there are issues such as the entanglement of photographic memory, dystopia, and traumatic memory. The images of utopian successes in the novel, such as freedom from bullying, lead to failure, which in this case becomes dystopia. In “Namaku Alam”, traumatic memories are attempted to be negotiated, however, in this first volume, the negotiation is still unsuccessful, the nightmares experienced in the novel can be read as evidence of this failure. Alam’s strong photographic memory, in this case, makes her unable to escape her past traumatic experiences.

T.A. Prapancha Hary, seeks to answer whether Alam’s trauma can disappear or linger? In “Namaku Alam”, the first volume of the novel, according to Prapancha, the character Alam still retains his trauma. There is always a conflict between Alam and himself. Alam, in this situation, has an oedipus complex. Alam’s behavior, which always tries to protect the people around him, shows how Alam tries to be a “father” figure as a protector described in the oedipus complex phenomenon. Expressive expressions in the form of cursing by Alam in this novel actually show how his disappointment cannot be defeated which is then collected in the form of cursing. The hopes that are still kept by Alam in a difficult situation prove that this character has the talent of good emotional processing.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality | SDGs 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, the Department of Anthropology invited Eric C. Thompson, a lecturer from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), to discuss his latest book titled The Story of Southeast Asia (2024). The book discussion event, attended by the academic community within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), provided fresh perspectives for the participants on the historical materialism approach in contemporary anthropological studies. On this occasion, Thompson provided a general overview of the book’s content and arguments about several sections he found particularly interesting when discussing the Southeast Asian region.

The book The Story of Southeast Asia uses historical and anthropological perspectives to examine the diversity of traditions and cultures within contemporary Southeast Asian communities, highlighting a long process. Cultural contacts between communities, established since the era of Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, the introduction of Islam through trade, and the influence of European colonial occupation have uniquely shaped the identity and cultural practices and traditions in Southeast Asia. Through his presentation, Thompson demonstrated how these processes illustrate Southeast Asian people’s agency and the formation of social and economic networks marked by trade. The creation of these networks is considered the beginning of the formation of cultural and social identities in Southeast Asia. After the book’s content presentation by the author, Prof. Dr. Pujo Semedi, acting as the moderator, guided the Q&A session, which received enthusiastic responses from the attendees. Some questions prompted the author and discussion participants to reflect on how the process of identity formation requires sensitivity and critical thinking towards data, documents, and artifacts to provide historical and anthropological interpretations.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality

Yogyakarta, May 8, 2024 – The Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Michigan-Flint, USA, held a public lecture titled “Gender and Society in Indonesia.” The event took place on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Soegondo Building 709, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, and was attended by students from various study programs.

The public lecture featured three main speakers who are experts in gender issues. They were Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D. from the Faculty of Law UGM, Dr. Novi Kurnia, M.Si., M.A. from the Department of Communication UGM, and Dr. Suzie Handajani, M.A. from the Department of Anthropology UGM. These three speakers presented material that enriched the understanding of gender from various perspectives: legal, social, political, and cultural.

Sri Wiyanti Eddyono reviewed significant changes in laws and policies in Indonesia related to reproductive health and sexual rights over the past five years, including child marriage, sexual violence (including cyber sexual violence), abortion, sexual violence in higher education, and sexual violence in the workplace. She emphasized the need for evaluation at three levels: substantive law, legal structure, and legal culture. Dr. Novi Kurnia discussed gender politics in Indonesia, which creates ‘restricted spaces’ for women and queer individuals in public spaces, including in film, and underscored the importance of shared responsibility among educators, the government, the film community, audiences, and society to discuss these sensitive issues. Without the courage to challenge patriarchal-homophobic culture, inclusive diversity in Indonesia will only remain a dream. Meanwhile, Dr. Suzie Handajani provided an anthropological perspective on the dynamics of gender and sexuality in Indonesia, focusing on the concepts of motherhood and the hijab during the New Order era, explaining how history and culture influence views and practices related to gender in Indonesia.

Gender issues are highly relevant and important in Indonesia, especially in the context of current social and political developments. By presenting a multidisciplinary perspective, this public lecture aimed to provide comprehensive insights to students on the complexities of gender issues in Indonesia. Additionally, this event also aimed to encourage critical and constructive discussion, as well as increase awareness of the importance of gender justice in various aspects of life.

The public lecture “Gender and Society in Indonesia” not only enriched the knowledge of students but also formed part of UGM’s efforts to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly points 5 and 4. Point 5, which emphasizes gender equality and women’s empowerment, was reflected through discussions about policies and practices affecting the rights of women and gender minorities. Point 4, which guarantees inclusive and quality education, was realized through the provision of an educational platform involving academic and international perspectives. Through this activity, UGM is committed to shaping a generation sensitive to gender justice and actively contributing to creating a more equal world.

Author: Afif Naufal Widiadi

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality | SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDGs 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | SDGs 17: Partnerships for the Goals

On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences received a visit from ASIA to JAPAN. During this visit, Masato Sampei, the CEO of ASIA to JAPAN, provided important information regarding opportunities to work in Japan. In his presentation, he explained several key points such as the company profile, partner companies, and general requirements to work in Japan. Additionally, on this occasion, he also introduced several alumni from major universities in Indonesia who have joined ASIA to JAPAN and will be heading to Japan.

The enthusiasm shown was not only from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences but also from the Faculty of Engineering, indicating that the interest in working in Japan is quite widespread. This is because Japan is known as one of the advanced countries with rapidly developing industries and advanced technology, making it interesting to many students who want to develop their careers in these fields.

Visits and socializations like this are expected to provide students with a better understanding of job opportunities abroad, as well as the preparations needed to achieve them, including understanding company profiles, cooperation, and required qualifications. Hopefully, this event will be the first step for many students to pursue their dreams in an international career.