The biggest hoax of all: the 30 September Movement

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There are two common misconceptions about hoaxes. First, although the word “hoax” is a relatively new term in the Indonesian lexicon, it would be wrong to assume that hoaxes have only become a problem over the past few years, with the rise of social media. Second, hoax news cannot be resolved or debunked simply by providing accurate information as an alternative, especially when nothing is done about the primary hoax.

Heryanto, Ariel (2018) “The biggest hoax of all: the 30 September Movement”, Indonesia at Melbourne, 16/01/2018, http://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/the-biggest-hoax-of-all-the-30-september-movement/

keywords: Budi Pego, Communism, Gerwani, Jokowi, Marxism, PKI

Popular Culture and Identity Politics

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This chapter contends that an in-depth investigation into identity politics in popular culture is a critical component to studying the social life of this world’s fourth most populated nation. It shows how elite national politics and everyday cultural practices and contestations are mutually constitutive in complex and indirect ways, with a focus on identity politics in contemporary Indonesia as manifest in popular cultures.

Heryanto, Ariel (2018) “Popular Culture and Identity Politics”, in R. Hefner (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Indonesia, London: Routledge, pp. 357-368.

keywords: gender, Islam, Javanese, Jokowi, media, nationalism, SBY

Ahok, Penista Kemasan Politik

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“Menurut saya, hanya mereka yang buta-politik akan berbantah melulu soal agama dan adu-kutipan ayat suci dalam menanggapi kasus Ahok. Apakah Ahok bersalah atau tidak secara keagamaan, kurang menarik perhatian saya. Juga apakah dia bersalah atau tidak secara hukum.

Sejauh pengamatan saya, kesalahan pertama dan utama Ahok selama ini adalah berpolitik tanpa basa-basi atau kemasan apa pun.”

 

Heryanto, Ariel (2016) “Ahok, Penista Kemasan Politik”, CNN Indonesia, 17/11/206, https://www.cnnindonesia.com/kursipanasdki1/20161116193018-517-173127/ahok-penista-kemasan-politik/

kata-kunci: agama, Bourdieu, Jokowi, kelas sosial, Pilkada DKI,

Dari Kencing Onta sampai PKI

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“Tidak ada wacana, tuduhan, umpatan, atau pujian yang secara alamiah atau tiba-tiba, punya bobot mengangkat atau membanting martabat seseorang. Bobot itu harus disusun dan dipasarkan dengan modal besar dan kerja keras sebelum diterima atau ditolak masyarakat. Ini berlaku untuk semua kisah: dari kisah mukjizat kencing Onta sampai kisah bahaya PKI.”

Heryanto, Ariel (2018) “Dari Kencing Onta sampai PKI”, Mojok, 11/01/2018, https://mojok.co/arl/esai/dari-kencing-onta-sampai-pki/

kata-kunci: Budi Pego, G-30-S, Gerwani, Hoax, Jokowi, tahayul

Sejarah Tidak Cuma Hitam-Putih

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“Kita bisa memilih untuk tidak punya agama. Tetapi, kita tidak bisa memilih untuk tidak punya kebangsaan. Mengapa dan siapa yang memaksa? Sebuah proses dan kesepakatan yang sifatnya mendunia dan mutakhir.

Sayang, wawasan internasional dalam kebangsaan atau nasionalisme itu lemah atau lenyap di banyak kalangan di Indonesia.”

Adnan, Sobih AW (2017) “Sejarah Tidak Cuma Hitam-Putih”, metrotv, 19/12/2017, http://m.metrotvnews.com/oped/wawancara/ybDMYjpk-sejarah-tidak-cuma-hitam-putih

kata kunci: global, media, nasion, sejarah

Ideological Baggage and Orientations of the Social Sciences in Indonesia

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Many -isms that at first appear to be radical, breakthrough forces, become inflexible and frozen as they grow in popularity and dominance. There are good and bad expressions and followers of every -ism. In polemics, there is always the temptation to highlight the opposition’s worst or weakest examples of theories, ideas and rationale, whilst emphasizing and using only the best among one’s own armory.

Heryanto, Ariel (2005) “Ideological Baggage and Orientations of the Social Sciences in Indonesia” in Social Science and Power in Indonesia, Vedi R. Hadiz and Daniel Dhakidae (eds), Jakarta and Singapore: Equinox, pp. 69-101.

keywords: culturalism, developmentalism, ideology, knowledge, liberalism, orientation, populism, structuralism

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Hiruk pikuk ‘bahaya’ komunis: sampai kapan?

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Kapan Indonesia bisa reda dari hiruk pikuk hantu komunisme? Jawabnya: bila sudah ada alat lain yang bisa dimanfaatkan para politikus untuk ambisi politiknya. Tidak penting apakah itu komunisme atau Islam. Yang penting sejauh mana atribut itu bisa dimanipulasi untuk kepentingan politik mereka.

Selama alat pengganti itu belum ada, stigma dan hantu komunis akan terus diproduksi, disebarkan untuk mengaduk-aduk emosi dan akal masyarakat yang lembek logika.

Heryanto, Ariel (2017) “Hiruk pikuk ‘bahaya’ komunis: sampai kapan?”, The Conversation, 27/09/2017, https://theconversation.com/hiruk-pikuk-bahaya-komunis-sampai-kapan-84658

kata-kunci: bahaya komunis, Islam, Jokowi, Orde Baru, pengetahuan

“Ariel Heryanto: Seakan-Akan Sudah Ada ‘Rekonsiliasi’”

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“Konflik yang kemudian terjadi di UKSW tidak lagi bersifat kecil, lokal, atau personal. Ada berbagai dimensi politik, ekonomi dan budaya yang secara struktural merupakan bagian atau kepanjangan dari berbagai kontradiksi industri kapitalisme, yang sangat besar di tingkat nasional (otoriterisme militer Orde Baru) dan transnasional.”

“Ariel Heryanto: Seakan-Akan Sudah Ada ‘Rekonsiliasi’”, wawancara oleh Arya Adikristya, Scientiarum (Desember 2016): 18-20.

kata kunci: kemelut, konflik, manajemen, Orde Baru, rekonsiliasi, UKSW

A Postcolonial Amnesia

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“For centuries, what is now known as Southeast Asia has been a hub of transcontinental flows of people, religions and sciences.  . . . Such connections were salient features of the activities and events in the late nineteenth century and early decades of the twentieth century, well preceding the birth of nations in this region. Significantly, these engagements involved multi-ethnic and multilingual people from all walks of life in urban settings, rather than an exclusive preoccupation with a tiny elite of European descent in the colonies.”

Heryanto, Ariel (2016) “A Postcolonial Amnesia”, in D. Black, O. Khoo and K. Iwabuchi (eds), Contemporary Culture and Media in Asia, London: Rowman & Littlefield International, pp. 13-29.

keywords: colonial, Dutch East Indies, global, Indonesia, national, Southeast Asia, trans-Asia

George Junus Aditjondro: an uncompromising activist

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George will be fondly remembered as one of Indonesia’s most radical political critics, public intellectuals and investigative journalists. His audacity, passion, dedication and uncompromising commitment to political advocacy were second to none among his peers.

Heryanto, Ariel (2016) “George Junus Aditjondro: an uncompromising activist”, Indonesia at Melbourne, 19/12/2016, http://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/george-junus-aditjondro-an-uncompromising-activist/

keywords: anti-corruption, obituary, Papua, public intellectual, Salatiga, Timor, UKSW