Four lecturers from the Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia (FIB UI) presented their research at the Indonesia Council Open Conference (ICOC) 2025, hosted by the University of Melbourne, Australia on 7–10 July 2025. The four lecturers are Prof. Manneke Budiman, Asri Saraswati, Ph.D., Shuri Mariasih Gietty Tambunan, Ph.D., and Yudi Bachrioktora, M.A. The ICOC is a biennial international conference that brings together scholars across disciplines to showcase new and innovative work on Indonesia. This year’s conference welcomed academics, researchers, students, and practitioners from Australia, Indonesia, and various other countries.
Over the course of four insightful days, the conference featured more than 40 panel discussions, keynote speeches, and dialogue sessions, connecting scholars from diverse fields. The topics presented covered sustainability, gender equality, education, economy, and culture in Indonesia.
One of FIB UI’s key contributions was a panel titled “Community Resilience and Environmental Sustainability in Indonesia”, chaired by Shuri Mariasih Gietty Tambunan, Ph.D. This panel explored community resilience and environmental sustainability in Indonesia through local knowledge, grassroots movements, and collective action. The presenters examined how communities across different regions respond to environmental and social challenges—both in physical and digital spaces—emphasizing cultural strength and collectivism.
The four presentations in this panel were:
- Spectacles of Sustainability: Persuasive Strategies in Indonesian Environmental Documentaries– Shuri Mariasih Gietty Tambunan, Ph.D.
A critical review of six Indonesian environmental documentaries—Semesta (2020), Our Mother’s Land (2020), Plastic Island (2021), Tenggelam dalam Diam (2021), Mutualisme (2021), and Saat Orang Baik (Tidak) Diam (2023)—which employ diverse persuasive strategies to raise public awareness on sustainability issues. - Lost and Found: The Preservation and Revitalization of the Local Knowledge on Disaster Mitigation amongst Ambonese Communities– Manneke Budiman
An investigation into the loss of collective memory among the Ambon and Haruku communities regarding disaster mitigation, and the creation of new knowledge through contemporary media such as popular songs and children’s books. - Making Zero Waste a Trend: Jakarta’s Urban Middle Class Movement to Reduce Waste– Asri Saraswati, Ph.D.
An analysis of the zero waste movement among Indonesia’s urban middle class, including initiatives such as the Trash Bank led by housewives in Jakarta, and similar movements in Malang and Yogyakarta. - Building Solidarity in Hutan Harapan: SPI and Batin Sembilan Alliance Towards New Commons– Yudi Bachrioktora
A discussion on the alliance between the Indonesian Peasants Union (SPI) and the Batin Sembilan indigenous community in Jambi to establish inclusive and sustainable forest commons management systems.
The participation of FIB UI lecturers in ICOC 2025 reinforces the faculty’s contribution to the international academic discourse on Indonesia. Through multidisciplinary research presented in this prestigious forum, FIB UI not only strengthens its global network but also deepens insights into critical issues in Indonesia, particularly community resilience and environmental sustainability.
