Polyglot Networks: Overseas Returnees and the Establishment of Indonesian Language Programs in China, 1945-1965

4 p.m.
SSEAS Reading Room, 341 Dwinelle

Sponsor(s): Center for Southeast Asia Studies, American Institute for Indonesian Studies

About the talk: Language and language education are two central topics in the studies of Chinese diasporic culture. However, existing scholarship has overwhelmingly focused on how overseas Chinese populations deal with language politics in their hosting societies. This research adopts a different perspective by examining how overseas Chinese played central roles in establishing Indonesian language programs in mainland China between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s. Specifically, overseas Chinese “returnees” were indispensable in establishing the National College of Oriental Studies (NCOS) during World War II under the nationalist Guomindang government and several Indonesian language programs in the early years of the People’s Republic (PRC). While such programs served drastically different political purposes across time, they also reflect crucial yet often ignored aspects of, and surprising continuities in, China-Indonesia cultural exchange during the tumultuous period of decolonization, domestic conflicts, and the Cold War. On the one hand, such continuities reflect the persistent demands of top decision-makers in handling geopolitical issues concerning the neighboring region; on the other hand, they are also closely associated with the changing contexts of diaspora politics in the mid-20th century. Moreover, although such language programs’ primary objective was to fulfill the operational needs of various government agencies, they also actively promoted Indonesian cultures and stimulated Chinese people’s sustained interest in understanding the country in the long run.

About the Speaker: Kankan XIE (Ph.D., UC-Berkeley, 2018) is an assistant professor of Southeast Asian studies at Peking University, China. His research and teaching deal with various historical and contemporary issues of the broadly defined “Nusantara” (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore), particularly the region’s leftwing movements, the intersection of colonialism, nationalism & decolonization, as well as China’s knowledge production about Southeast Asia throughout the 20th century. His current research, funded by China’s National Social Science Foundation and the Institute of Overseas Chinese History Studies, focuses on the history of Indonesian leftism and the Chinese diaspora. Kankan’s work has appeared in the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia (BKI), Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences and Humanities, Dongnanya Yanjiu, and Nanyang Wenti Yanjiu.


If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Alexandra Dalferro at adalferro@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event

Speaker: Kankan Xie, Assistant Professor, Peking University

Contact Info: cseas@berkeley.edu

Now Accepting Applications for 2024 AIFIS-CAORC Research Fellowship for U.S. Scholars to Indonesia

Call for Applications

AIFIS invites applications from graduate and post-graduate researchers who are US citizens and wish to pursue their research activities in Indonesia. AIFIS-CAORC Fellowships offer a grant of US$6,000 for each scholar to conduct research projects in any field of contemporary and traditional Indonesian Studies.

The next deadline for application submission is Sunday, March 24, 2024 (extended).

Call For Abstracts: AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies

Proposal Submission Deadline:
March 7, 2024

AIFIS in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU) Asian Studies Center will hold the 4th annual AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies from June 18 - 22, 2024

The conference continues to highlight and celebrate the growing and evolving academic study of Indonesia, as it aims to expand research dissemination and collaboration by connecting Indonesian scholars with international colleagues in a bilingual and virtual format.

Indonesia Ascendant?

This year’s conference theme, Indonesia Ascendant?, seeks to capture Indonesia’s ascendance on the global stage that is drawing a lot of attention and interest. Notably, Indonesia’s success stands out compared to other contexts as the nation continues to be a global exemplar of religious pluralism and democracy. And yet there is a sense of the Indonesian project being somehow “unfinished,” stuck, or backsliding in some ways.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE THEME

Call for Abstracts

The program committee invites abstract submissions from scholars across broad disciplinary perspectives in the study of Indonesia. While abstracts on any topic focusing on Indonesia are welcome, the committee is especially interested in research that engages discourses on the trajectory of Indonesia, past and present, and broadly defined. We welcome abstract submissions in the form of individual or multi-authored papers, organized panels, or roundtable discussions.

CFA: Second Round of Small Grants for Public Arts Programs

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

We are excited to announce the launch of a second round of applications for our AIFIS-Luce Small Grants for Public Arts. Artists, performers, and other creative scholars working to bring Indonesian arts and culture to American audiences are invited to apply. These are competitive grants for public-facing events designed to broaden popular understandings of Indonesia among U.S. audiences. Grants awarded will range from US$500 to US$2500 per proposal and be reviewed on a quarterly basis by a special committee of AIFIS Board Members.

Deadline for the Second Round of Application Submissions: March 31, 2024

Reflections on Cross-cultural research and methodologies

Join us for the 3rd LuceSea webinar series on "Reflections on Cross-cultural research and methodologies."
November 1, 2023, 3PM HST / November 2, 2023, 8AM WIB

This presentation spotlights graduate student perspectives and methodological strategies on working in cross-cultural, interdisciplinary teams focusing on agrarian change.

In-person Venue: East-West Center, Burns Hall
Register Online:
https://tinyurl.com/4pebt7wj

Collaboration is dead and how to revive it: Getting universities to more meaningfully work with local communities

Join us for the next meeting of Southeast Asia in Transition: Embracing Collaborative Approaches in Understanding the Transformation in Rural Southeast Asia. The theme for this conversation is, "Collaboration is dead, and how to revive it: Getting universities to more meaningfully work with local communities.” The virtual event will take place Oct 4, 2023, 3-4:30pm HST / Oct 5, 8am WIB.

Speakers Include:
Sukanlaya Choenkwan: Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Academic Service, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University
Muhammad Alif K. Sahide: Associate Professor and Head of Department and Universias Hasanuddin Faculty of Forestry
Micah Fisher: Research Fellow, East West Center
Moderated by: Ming Li Yong: Research Fellow, East West enter

Collaborative Field-Based Learning in Southeast Asia: Value and Challenges

The first presentation of Southeast Asia in Transition: Embracing Collaborative Approaches, Understanding the Transformations in Rural SEAsia will take place September 8, 2023. Thy hybrid webinar will focus on the topic of “Collaborative Field-Based Learning in Southeast Asia: Value and Challenges.”  In this webinar speakers from the Department of Geography & Environment, Krisna Suryanata (Professor) and Olivia Meyer (PhD Candidate), will share their experience with the 2023 Joint Field School, its rationale and reflections on its implementation. They will share key pedagogical findings that our team discussed in the post-field school workshop, and practical takeaways if we were to replicate this initiative. The discussion will be moderated by Jefferson Fox (Senior Fellow, East-West Center).

If you are in Honolulu, please join us for the in-person presentation in Saunders 443, University of Hawaii at Manoa campus on Friday, September 8, 3:00-4:30  pm HST. 

To join us remotely, please register at http://tinyurl.com/lucesea

Language and Literature as the National Identity in the Global Civilization

Call for Abstract || Language and Literature as the National Identity in the Global Civilization

Abstract deadline: October 1, 2023

The organizers of the First Biannual Conference are pleased to invite researchers, scholars, practitioners, and professionals to submit abstracts for the 2023 biannual conference held by National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The conference aims to explore the cultural diversity of the Nusantara civilization as a national identity.

Abigail C. Cohn (Professor, Dept. of Linguistics, Cornell University) and Christina F. Kreps (Director, Museum of Anthropology and Museum & Heritage Studies, University of Denver) will be joined as the keynote speakers.

Learn more: https://conference.brin.go.id/biannual-arbastra/

Dari Presidensi G20 Indonesia ke Keketuaan Indonesia di ASEAN: Peran Daerah dalam Menjawab Peluang, Tantangan dan Hambatan Globalisasi

Simposium Nasional Pusat Studi G20 Indonesia yang ketiga ini diselenggarakan oleh Pusat Studi G20 Indonesia dan bermitra dengan Pemerintah Provinsi Sulawesi Utara, Kabupaten Minahasa Selatan, UPH Learning Hub Manado, American Institute for Indonesian Studies (AIFIS), dan Universitas Sam Ratulangi Manado.

Pusat Studi G20 Indonesia berdiri tahun 2021 sebagai bentuk implementasi kemitraan antara Kementerian Koordinator Bidang Perekonomian Republik Indonesia sebagai co-sherpa G20 Indonesia 2022 dan Universitas Pelita Harapan. Pusat Studi G20 Indonesia ini merupakan Pusat Studi G20 yang pertama di Asia Tenggara dan diberikan mandat untuk mendukung penyelenggaraan Presidensi G20 Indonesia melalui pengerahan sumber daya civitas akademika yang ada dan juga untuk mengembangkan ilmu pengetahuan terkait G20 dan prioritas-prioritasnya serta menjadi hub pengetahuan tentang G20 di Asia Tenggara.

Untuk menjalankan mandat tersebut, Pusat Studi G20 Indonesia Universitas Pelita Harapan mengadakan Simposium Nasional tahunan sejak tahun 2021. Pada tahun 2023, Simposiun Nasional III akan diadakan di UPH Learning Hub Manado untuk mendesentralisasikan pengetahuan tentang G20 dan ASEAN sekaligus memperluas kesempatan pengembangan pengetahuan tentang G20 ke berbagai wilayah di Indonesia. Tahun ini tema simposium yang bersifat multidisiplin ini adalah “Dari Presidensi G20 Indonesia ke Keketuaan Indonesia di ASEAN: Peran Daerah dalam Menjawab Peluang, Tantangan dan Hambatan Globalisasi.”

Simposium terbuka untuk peserta dari perguruan tinggi, lembaga penelitian, pemerintah, dan civil society tanpa dipungut biaya. Karena keterbatasan tempat, peserta onsite non-pemakalah hanya dibatasi sampai 50 peserta yang terdaftar. Call for abstract terbuka untuk pemakalah atau pembicara dari perguruan tinggi, lembaga penelitian, pemerintah, dan civil society. Peserta call for abstract akan diundang untuk memasukkan naskah yang akan dipublikasi sebagai edited volume. Pembicara untuk call for abstract dikenakan biaya symposium sebesar Rp. 250.000 (dua ratus lima puluh ribu rupiah).

Abbreviated Primate Behavioral Management Conference

The 1st Abbreviated Primate Behavioral Management Conference 2023 will be held in Bogor, Indonesia from August 28-29, 2023!

Primate Behavioral Management Conference usually takes place in the US, and now we have the Abbreviated Primate Behavioral Management here in Indonesia! This conference is open to all countries and participants who are willing to come to Bogor, Indonesia to learn more about primate behavioral management.

Primate behavioral management refers to the strategies and techniques employed to understand and influence the behavior of non-human primates in various settings. Effective behavioral management is crucial for ensuring the well-being and welfare of primates. The Primate Research Center at IPB University (PSSP LPPM-IPB), Bogor, Indonesia, strives to utilize the diversity of non-human primates in Indonesia to benefit humanity by conducting research that contributes to human health, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. PSSP LPPM-IPB will organize a two-day conference on “Primate Behavioral Management” that will be held on August 28-29, 2023.

Those with experience in primate behavior management-related research are welcome to send abstracts through the registration form (selected abstracts will be displayed as posters).

Detailed information regarding the event can be accessed through: ipb.link/info-abbrev-pbmc-Indonesia

If you have further questions, please get in touch with us through:

Email: minipbmcindonesia@gmail.com

Phone: +62 251 8320417, 8313637

WhatsApp: +62 815 1940 9550 (Bella), +62 856 9163 8537 (Yuliana)

Regional Dynamics of Southeast Asia: Global Southeast Asian Studies in the Age of Asia

Join us on Tuesday, 11 July at 1pm WIB at Faculty of Social and Political Science-Universitas Brawijaya for a discussion on "Regional Dynamics of Southeast Asia: Global Southeast Asian Studies in the Age of Asia".

Speaker: Dr. Lorraine Paterson (Professor, Modern Southeast Asia and Southeast Asia- SAIS, Johns Hopkins University)

Register here: S.UB.AC.ID/SEMINARHYBRID

Abstract: Historically colonized by all the major world powers, encountering all the major world religions, Southeast Asia is a region embodying a dizzying political, cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. It has undergone a staggering economic and societal transformation in the last twenty years. At this historical moment it lies at the center of the global shift to the Asia-Pacific as the region becomes increasingly economically powerful and interconnected. Its youthful, media-savvy populations embrace the digital age as the Southeast Asian nations create both shared – and unique – responses to challenges posed by global flows, urbanization and technology. Although once considered an artificially constructed object of study, the Southeast Asia of today is more societally and economically interwoven than ever before. The rise of China with its Belt and Road Initiative, shared SEA infrastructure projects, and growing intra-regional connectivity, are all factors that give contemporary Southeast Asia more coherence. The region is progressively linked by business networks, trade relationships, migration and shared resources. Increasing ASEAN regional economic integration and cooperation, and its proposed economic integration by 2025 makes this a 2 strategic moment at which to rethink how this increasingly interlinked – and powerful – region of the world is best studied. This talk will exploring Global Southeast Asian Studies in the Age of Asia.

This event is co-organized by AIFIS in collaboration with and Universitas Brawijaya.

Special Panel: 2024 Elections on the Horizon, July 14, 2023 (US and Indonesia)

Anticipating an election cycle in Indonesia next year, the AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies will include a plenary session addressing the “2024 Elections on the Horizon” on Friday 14 July 9:40-11:10am ET / 8:40-10:10pm WIB. This session will feature a panel of political science experts to offer insights, analysis and prediction results along with possible consequences to the future of Indonesia’s domestic political dynamics as well as Indonesia’s position in the global affairs. Panelists include:

  • Tom Pepinsky (Cornell University)

  • Eunsook Jung (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Dewi Fortuna Anwar (National Research and Innovation Agency, BRIN)

  • Djayadi Hanan (Universitas Islam International Indonesia and Lembaga Survei Indonesia)

  • Made Supriatma (Joyo News and ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute).

  • Moderated by Yosef Djakababa (Universitas Pelita Harapan / AIFIS In-Country Representative)

Session Abstract: The 2024 Indonesian election is a determining event for Indonesia. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will end his second and, thus, final term. Despite his popularity Jokowi cannot serve beyond his term limit as the Indonesian constitution prevents it. The situation opens up opportunities for a new pool of candidates, mostly known figures and supported by the powerful well established political parties which represent the major Indonesian political streams. The roundtable will among others examine the following questions, what are the political dynamics of political parties elites in choosing and supporting their respective candidates? What are the roles of various civil society groups/organizations that may influence the outcome of the election? This important and timely roundtable discussion will provide insights, analysis and prediction results along with possible consequences to the future of Indonesia’s domestic political dynamics as well as Indonesia’s position in the global affairs.

Special Panel: Old, Broken, and New Promises: The Dilemmas of Kebangsaan in West Papua, July 12 US / July 13 WIB

Featured in the 2023 AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies, this special panel “Old, Broken, and New Promises: The Dilemmas of Kebangsaan in West Papua” will bring together a group of engaged scholars and movement leaders to discuss the ways in which Indonesian nationalism articulates with West Papuan lives and sovereignty.

The session will feature invited speakers;

  • Camellia Webb-Gannon (University of Wollongong Australia)

  • Ronny Kareni (Rize of the Morning Star)

  • Hatib Kadir (Universitas Brawijaya)

  • Jenny Munro (University of Queensland)

  • Elvira Rumkabu (Universitas Cenderawasih)

  • Moderated by Timothy Daniels (Hofstra University).

Abstract: Participants on this special roundtable panel will focus on the dilemmas of Indonesian nationalism as it articulates with West Papuan lives and sovereignty. We acknowledge that the Indonesian nation-state has made promises of development and inclusion of West Papuans in the imagined national kebangsaan. However, these state projects have had a detrimental impact on the lives, resources, and environment of West Papua. They have led to deprivation, land dispossession, deforestation, and environmental hazards. In addition, state efforts at urban infrastructure and human resource development have also produced negative consequences. Dominant sociopolitical policies fragment West Papua into numerous provinces and smaller political units. On the other hand, participants draw on their fieldwork to demonstrate new and renewed promises Papuans are making through their own efforts and creativity. Some of these “practices of sovereignty” are new, while others are longstanding and only recently noticed and documented. Are these sovereignty practices possibly preparing the ground for the emergence and recognition of an independent West Papuan state? Do Papuan promises for Merdeka offer a resolution of the dilemmas of the Indonesian present? Rather than current resource exploitation and militia-driven ethnic hostilities, Papuan pro-independence forces promise a “Green State” and peaceful coexistence between Indigenous Papuans and migrants. Rather than political fragmentation under an autocratic, militaristic regime, Papuan groups promise a federal government of tribes with democratic governance. Moreover, they promise better lives for women, including freedom from all forms of violence. Are these untested political pledges being enacted and substantiated in current sovereignty practices? Participants will discuss these dilemmas and promises shedding light on how they have shifted over time as well as potential solutions.

Documentary Film Screening: "Equal Citizens? Chinese Indonesians In Yogyakarta" (July 11, 2023 US / July 12, 2023 WIB)

Join us at the 2023 AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies for a screening of the latest installation in the Indonesian Pluralities* film series,

“Equal Citizens? Chinese Indonesians in Yogyakarta”

Tuesday July 11, 9:40-11:10pm ET / Wednesday July 12, 8:40-10:10am WIB.

“Equal Citizens?” presents a moving account of the daily lives and citizenship struggles of Indonesians of Chinese descent in Yogyakarta. The Chinese Indonesians highlighted in this film aspire to be recognized as full and equal Indonesian citizens.  They speak an Indonesian heavily laced with Javanese idioms.  Their artistic traditions are a prominent and esteemed part of Yogyakarta’s cultural landscape.  In most settings, Chinese Indonesians are welcomed and respected by their fellow citizens.  However, in local state offices, Chinese Indonesians sometimes encounter difficulties and have to negotiate their civic and political rights in a differentiated and unequal manner.  This film explores the reality of social citizenship for Chinese Indonesians, and examines how and why at times Chinese Indonesians come to be treated as less-than-equal citizens.

Film "Simalakama di Tanah Istimewa" memaparkan pergulatan kewargaan individu dan komunitas Tionghoa di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Bagi warga Tionghoa, menjadi Indonesia adalah pilihan satu-satunya. Secara sosio-kultural, warga Tionghoa mendapatkan ruang ekspresi yang terbuka. Aktifitas sosio-kultural dan ekonomi mereka semarak, dan mendapatkan sambutan dari warga (suku) lain, dan bahkan dari pejabat publik. Akan tetapi secara politis, mereka diperhadapkan pada perlakuan secara diskriminatif. Karena diidentifikasi sebagai keturunan Tionghoa, hak kepemilikan tanah mereka tidak diakui. Mengapa “pengistimewaan” ini terjadi di Tanah Istimewa Yogyakarta? Dan bagaimana mereka mengembangkan strategi kewargaan mereka?

This screening will be followed by a conversation with filmmakers Dandhy Laksono and Muhamad Sridipo (WatchDoc), film researcher Samsul Maarif (Universitas Gadjah Mada), executive producers Zainal Abidin Bagir (Universitas Gadjah Mada) and Robert Hefner (Boston University), all moderated with a response by Ariel Heryanto (Monash University).

Dr. Lorraine Paterson to speak on Southeast Asian Languages and Literatures at a Pivotal Time

Join us on Friday, 7 July at 9AM WIB at Perpustakaan Universitas Negeri Malang for a discussion on "Southeast Asian Languages and Literatures: Revitalizing Connections".

Speaker: Dr. Lorraine Paterson (Professor, Modern Southeast Asia and Southeast Asia- SAIS, Johns Hopkins University) and Dr. Tom Hoogervorst (Researcher at KITLV/Royal Netherland Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies).

Register here: https://bit.ly/LectureSEA

Abstract: How can the study of Southeast Asian languages and literary traditions better integrate the countries of ASEAN? Southeast Asian countries have largely focused on their own narrowly defined literary traditions and languages—or colonial antecedents—rather than thinking more regionally. This talk will explore some of the ways that Indonesian centers of literary and linguistic research can embrace their role as regional beacons as Indonesia seeks to become an educational leader within ASEAN.

This event is co-organized by AIFIS in collaboration with Perpustakaan Universitas Negeri Malang and Universitas Brawijaya. (Sebagian kuliah akan menggunakan bahasa Indonesia).

Todung Mulya Lubis to discuss Law Reform and Global Positionality of Indonesia at AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies

Introducing our third distinguished keynote speaker for this year's conference, Prof. Todung Mulya Lubis from University of Melbourne! As a former ambassador, scholar, and legal practitioner, get ready to be inspired, motivated, and captivated as he takes the platform to share his reflections on the subject of "Law Reform and Global Positionality of Indonesia."

Abstract: Law reform has been a topic of discussion in Indonesia since the country gained independence. Efforts to replace colonial laws with national laws have not been easy to implement due to competing political and economic interests, yet the idea of reform is central to civil society and resistance throughout many periods of contemporary Indonesian history. While legal reform has remained on the national agenda for over 70 years, economic programs have often taken priority due to the country's history of colonization and domination by foreign corporations. A discourse paused for nearly 32 years during the period of repression under President Soeharto, the idea of legal reform resurfaced after his resignation in 1998, with Habibie's presidency launching a series of wide-ranging reforms, such as reinstating freedom of association, holding free and fair elections, and establishing new agencies like the Corruption Eradication Commission. Under Habibie's presidency, people began to see changes and a revived sense of hope that Indonesia was in the process of opening up a new chapter. Today with the enactment of a new penal code, Indonesia is in the midst of reviving a long standing debate on legal reform and officially marking a new chapter in the nation's legal frameworks. My work takes a historical look at law reform in Indonesia in order to highlight the challenges that the nation has faced in replacing colonial laws with new laws, and the implications this process has had within Indonesia’s new legal system and global positionality moving forward.

Wening Udasmoro to speak on Non-Violent Masculinity and Youth-led Peace Preservation in Ambon at AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies

Our second keynote speaker for this year's conference is Prof. Wening Udasmoro from Universitas Gadjah Mada, who will share empowering stories from research on the topic of "Redefining the Non-Violent Masculinity: A Study of Youth-led Peace Preservation in Ambon."

Abstract: The conflict that took place in Ambon in 1999, subsequent to the fall of the New Order government, was resolved in 2002 with the signing of the Malino Agreement. Despite this, there are concerns about the potential for conflict arising from religious and ethnic tensions among members of the Ambonese community. In an effort to maintain a peaceful environment, various segments of society have initiated measures to promote peace. One such segment comprises the Ambonese youth who employ literature and the arts as tools for promoting peace-building activities in their daily lives. This presentation aims to investigate the dynamics of peace-building mechanisms in literature and the arts practiced by Ambonese youth in the post-conflict period. The study focuses on hegemonic masculinity as a concept that has been redefined in practice in certain communities. The presentation will highlight the shift from hegemonic masculinity associated with violent practices to non-violent hegemonic masculinity. Additionally, the presentation will provide examples of the dynamics of peace preservation efforts by Ambonese youth from the early post-conflict period to the present day, 20 years later. 

With a wealth of experience and a passion for making a difference, she will leave you inspired and ready to conquer new frontiers in your own scholarly engagements. Be prepared to be captivated by this and over 300+ presentations on a diverse array of topics in Indonesian Studies.

Lorraine Aragon to discuss Intellectual Property Law for Regional Arts in Indonesia at AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies

©️ Background design provided for use by UPT. Museum Provinsi Kalimantan Barat

We are pleased to announce one of our esteemed keynote speakers for the 2023 AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies, Prof. Lorraine V. Aragon (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) who will share insights from her remarkable journey over two decades of collaborative and multidisciplinary scholarship in Indonesia. She will speak on the topic of "Researching the Promises and Dilemmas of Intellectual Property Law for Regional Arts" to discuss how the multiplicity of regional arts as they are practiced across Indonesia inform more nuanced understandings of intellectual property than are typically framed in international debates and national regulations. Read the full abstract below, and don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to learn from a visionary scholar reflecting on the dynamics of regional artistic and national legal authority in Indonesia!

Lorraine V. Aragon, “Researching the Promises and Dilemmas of Intellectual Property Law for Regional Arts”

Abstract: Indonesia’s development of intellectual property (IP) brings promises and dilemmas to the nation’s regions, with their varied ecologies, ethnicities, religions, and cultural practices. I have observed two decades of debates on Indonesia’s copyright laws, UNESCO heritage programs, and cultural property claims over “traditional cultural expressions” or “communal intellectual resources.” Working with a multi-disciplinary, multinational team, I examined how IP laws and discourses naturalize the idea that regional arts are owned exclusively by individual makers, businesses, the state, or by ethnic communities whose boundaries and custodians are not easily defined. The debates illuminate international pressures and promises for Indonesia’s “creative economy” as it expands beyond urban commercial and fine arts into the heart of regional cultural activities. In creative economy models, cultural difference is a branding and marketing strategy, not a facet of place- or people-oriented identities. The use-value of skilled arts where people do meaningful things together on significant occasions becomes less relevant. Producers working with creative economy initiatives hope their arts will gain increased appreciation and profits. But, legal measures to privatize, inventory, safeguard, and “improve” traditional arts can disrupt shared activities that are vital to community reciprocity and sustainable livelihoods. Regional arts, many tied to family and community gatherings, have evolved and spread by informal copying practices, and centuries of cross-cultural contacts. Traditional performances and graphic works are relational and religious in the original sense of enacting shared ties to past, present, and future others. By contrast, IP laws tend to abrogate local networks of authority and obligation in favor of individual, corporate, or governmental management. I unpack two black boxes that generally are overlooked by research on globalizing IP laws. The first is how and why many Indonesian regional arts endure, change, and flourish without formal law or exclusive claims of individual or group ownership. The second is how and why “intellectual property consciousness” and “cultural theft” rivalries now arise in places where they were absent. Like intellectual property, heritage is a modernist concern that promotes national and regional rivalries. Indeed, heritage is considered more valuable as lived traditions decline. Indonesia is following some familiar pathways to structure and supervise national culture and regional diversity, but also entering uncharted territory with formidable new laws and state inventories of hundreds of regional expressions. How can Indonesia rework IP laws and heritage programs for widespread benefit and protection from foreign “cultural theft,” while balancing layers of regional affinity, creative autonomy, and political scale? How can Indonesian and foreign scholars collaborate further across disciplinary and institutional divisions to help each other recognize their interconnected histories, laws, arts, and scholarship?

Conservation and global health: at the human-environment interface

Pusat Studi Satwa Primata, Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat Institut Pertanian Bogor (PSSP LPPM IPB) bekerjasama dengan Central Oregon Community College akan menyelenggarakan pelatihan “Konservasi dan Kesehatan Global” di Cagar Alam Pangandaran pada tanggal 23 Juli-9 Agustus 2023.

Pelatihan ini merupakan kelanjutan dari pelatihan yang telah diselenggarakan di Pulau Tinjil selama 30 tahun, kerjasama antara Pusat Studi Satwa Primata LPPM IPB dan Washington National Primate Research Center Washington, University of Washington. Pelatihan di Cagar Alam Pangandaran ini akan dilakukan secara intensif selama dua minggu menitikberatkan pada topik “conservation and global health: at the human-environment interface”.

Pelatihan menggabungkan antara pemberian materi di dalam kelas dan praktik langsung di lapangan dengan mengambil objek dua spesies primata yang hidup di Pangandaran maupun habitatnya. Materi yang akan diberikan dalam perkuliahan antara lain threat to biological diversity, Global Health, field study techniques & field awareness, demography, classification of primates, human-wild interaction and conflict, health concerns of the local people, and biomedical research & research ethics. Peserta pelatihan terdiri dari mahasiswa asing, mahasiswa dari dalam negeri maupun staf instansi yang memiliki ketertarikan dalam bidang primata.

Peserta dibatasi hanya 16 orang mengingat keterbatasan fasilitas. Program pelatihan di Cagar Alam Pangandaran didedikasikan untuk membina generasi muda sebagai generasi potensial untuk menjadi pemimpin dalam bidang konservasi lingkungan dan kesehatan global. Program pelatihan seperti ini merupakan pelatihan dengan skala internasional yang mengusung tema pendidikan lingkungan dan kesehatan global. Selain itu, terjadinya pertukaran budaya antara sesama peserta pelatihan sehingga akan memperkaya dan membuka wawasan setiap peserta. Pada bagian akhir pelatihan, akan dilakukan “outreach education program” kepada anak-anak sekolah dasar di sekitar Cagar Alam Pangandaran. Penyadartahuan ini diharapkan dapat menanamkan keperdulian sejak dini tentang pentingnya menjaga lingkungan, hutan dan satwa yang hidup di dalamnya untuk kehidupan di masa yang akan datang. Seluruh peserta pelatihan dilibatkan secara aktif dalam program penyadartahuan ini.

Lokasi dan Waktu Pelaksanaan
Tempat : Cagar Alam Pangandaran

Waktu : 23 Juli – 9 Agustus 2023

Instruktur:
1. Drh. Huda S Darusman, PhD (IPB)
2. Dr. Ir. Entang Iskandar, MSi (IPB)
3. Prof. Mattew Novak (Central Oregon Community College)
4. Prof. Randall Keys (University of Washington)
5. Dr. Pensri Kyes (Center for Global Field Study, University of Washington)

Untuk pendaftaran hubungi: 0251-8313637/0251-8320417 atau email ke: pssp-ipb@apps.ipb.ac.id (Limited seats available)

The 3rd Summer Course on Current Issues in Primatology: Education and Ecotourism of Primates in Natural Habitat Facilities

Background

Indonesia has more than 60 primate species distributed all across Indonesia. More than 30% of them are endemic primates in certain areas and are still unknown until now. The development of science allows us to discover new species and to learn detailed information about specific species.
Primate Research Center (PRC) IPB University was established in 1990. It was the first primate research center in Indonesia established as a response to the need for an institution that can be the center of science, technology, and management of primates which contributes nationally and internationally. In its activities, PRC IPB University has three main pillars of knowledge: biomedical, biology, and conservation.
PRC IPB University has tried many ways to disseminate knowledge, the latest research, and methods or techniques regarding primates that can be used to identify or solve questions related to primates and their role related to humans. One of the ways to disseminate knowledge is through holding a summer course. This year’s summer course will be held on June 2023 with the theme: The 3rd Summer Course on Current Issues in Primatology: Education and Ecotourism of Primates in Natural Habitat Facilities. The summer course will cover topics regarding ecotourism, the basics of primate sciences, and methods that can be used to process primate-related samples to identify the primates' status and condition further. Participants will learn about primate taxonomy, ethics of sample collection from primates, practicing the proper way of sample collection in the field, sample testing and its validation, and ecotourism. This summer course aims to give the basic and latest knowledge regarding ecotourism, the ethics of sample collection and how it’s done, and primate sample tests.

Participants
The participants of this summer course are students or practitioners from India, the Philippines, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and many more. In addition, students from universities in Indonesia and practitioners from Indonesia are also welcome to join this summer course.

Click the button below to register.