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Speaking of Water: An Ethnography of Interwoven Transformations in Language and Water in Kodi

Cynthia Fowler from Wofford College, has just wrapped up her fieldwork in Sumba, Indonesia. Her project looks at how the Kodi people live with and adapt to water. From collecting rainwater off bamboo gutters to relying on springs and streams, water here is more than a resource—it’s culture, resilience, and everyday life.

Notes from the Field | AIFIS

Notes from the Field showcases the diverse experiences of AIFIS fellows as they travel between Indonesia and the United States to conduct research. From cultural heritage to contemporary social issues, these projects highlight the richness of cross-cultural exchange, the depth of fellowship, and the impact of research on both sides. Fieldwork allows our fellows to learn directly from communities, not just about them.

Sonic smokescapes: wildfire haze and Borneo’s forest soundscapes

Fellow Wendy Erb explores how the sounds of Borneo’s forested landscapes are affected by changes in air quality. As soundscapes and wildlife are key aspects of the country’s biocultural heritage, this work seeks to deepen our understanding and improve protections of these invaluable resources.

Indonesia in A New Asia: Relations with Vietnam in A World After Empire

Fellow Christian Lentz explores the connections between Indonesia and two Vietnams from the year 1945 to 1975. His research connects decolonization in Vietnam to Indonesia by examining their trilateral relationship from independence, through the Bandung era, and into the Cold War.

Navigating Formal and Informal Politics in Community Forestry

Fellow Emban Mas'ud pursued a project examining the intersection of political dynamics and sustainable forest management, with a focus on Indonesia.

Digitizing Popular Music Archives in Contemporary Indonesia

Fellow David Novak conducts an ethnographic research on informal sound archives and the influence of far-flung groups of “diggers” – record collectors, cassette dealers, unofficial scribes and protectors of popular culture - on global histories of popular music.

Ethnic Power Dynamics and Regional Proliferation

Fellow Ratri Istania explores links between power sharing, local conflicts, welfare, and territorial autonomy in Indonesia’s diverse ethnic landscape.This project examines how ethnic power sharing shapes Indonesia’s decentralization from the passage of the Regional Autonomy Law (1999) to today.

Strengthening the Existence of the Indonesian Language in The United States: An Ethnographic Study

Through extensive oral history interviews with key figures such as Professor Ellen Rafferty, Professor John U. Wolff, Professor Jean Gelman Taylor, and Toenggoel P. Siagian, as well as archival research at UW–Madison and Cornell University, Eko Widianto traced the development of Indonesian language teaching from the 1940s to the present.

Hybrid Movements, Digital Technology, and the Rise of Far-Right Islamist Protest Mobilization in Indonesia

Aqida Salma's research journey, supported by the AIFIS-Luce Fellowship, represents a significant milestone in understanding the digital strategies and mobilization tactics of far-right Islamist movements in Indonesia.

Living with risk: exploring local narratives on hazard and disaster

Fellow Muzayyin Nazarudin explores the interplay between indigenous and modern scientific knowledge in disaster mitigation, particularly in the context of Mount Merapi, Indonesia. It also highlights the historical, cultural, and practical dynamics of Javanese disaster management practices and their hybridization with modern volcanology.

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