The third edition of IIS UGM’s Monthly Review is here, bringing you fresh insights and the latest knowledge!

Featured articles in this issue include:
• When Vietnam’s Lotus Blooms in BRICS Water (Christopher Paller Gerale, Universitas Negeri Malang)
• The Structural Crisis Behind Bangladesh’s 2024 Student Protest (Allene Florence Fadhilah Darmawan, Department of International Relations UGM, 2023)
• The Making of Macan Asia in A Shifting Western Geopolitical Landscape (Aminah Rafa, Department of International Relations UGM)
• Indonesia’s Dilemma Between Nickel Extraction and Biosphere Preservation (Paramasatya Rakha Abiyoga, Department of International Relations UGM) read more

Latest Article on Megashift FISIPOL UGM
“Rethinking the Architecture of Climate Finance: How Political Discretion Undermines Global Commitments”
By: Meilisa Anggraeni

Megashift FISIPOL UGM has released another thought-provoking and timely article, this time spotlighting global climate finance, which is under immense pressure due to the shifting tides of international politics. In her piece, “Rethinking the Architecture of Climate Finance,” author Meilisa Anggraeni examines how climate funding pledges from developed nations often weaken — not because of technical or economic constraints, but due to the political choices of their leaders. read more

Desintha Dwi Asriani, a lecturer at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), has recently published her latest scholarly article titled “A Bodily Capital: The Practice of Body Modification and Gender Performativity Among Asian Young Women and Men” in the Journal of Applied Youth Studies, published by Springer Nature.

This study delves into the practices of body modification — such as tattoos, piercings, and cosmetic surgery — among young people in South Korea and Indonesia, and examines their connection to gender performativity and social mobility. Using a qualitative approach through interviews and observations, the article presents a comparative analysis of how the body is perceived as both symbolic and economic capital within the rapidly growing consumer cultures of Asia. read more

Professor Poppy S. Winanti from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), reaffirms her contribution to the global development discourse through her latest scholarly publication titled “International Development Cooperation and Domestic Support: Strategies of TIKA and TICA as Emerging Donors”. The article appears in Jurnal Penelitian Politik published by BRIN, Volume 21, No. 1, 2024.

In this work, Prof. Winanti critically examines the growing involvement of developing countries in the Global South as new actors in international development cooperation. The focus lies on how countries such as Thailand and Turkey — each with their dedicated agencies, the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) — play their roles as emerging donors, providing foreign aid despite still being classified as developing nations. read more

FISIPOL UGM lecturers Ratna Noviani, Heru Nugroho, and Elok Santi Jesica have published their latest research article titled “Grab It Fast! Entrepreneurial Self and Hyper-Consumerism in the Students’ Prosumption of Online Lending Services in Indonesia” in the July–September 2025 edition of the international journal SAGE Open.

The article examines the practice of prosumption — the simultaneous production and consumption of services — in online lending among Indonesian university students, with a specific focus on the Cicil platform. Within the framework of the sharing economy and prosumerism, this platform not only offers educational loans but also encourages students to act as both “digital workers” and active consumers. read more

Megashift FISIPOL UGM has released a new article titled “Seeking Alternatives to the Dominance of Economic Logic in Indonesia’s Development.” The piece offers a critical reflection on Indonesia’s national development agenda, which has long been centered on economic growth, investment, and macro-financial indicators.

The article emphasizes the importance of pursuing alternative development approaches that prioritize social welfare and environmental sustainability. Rather than relying solely on economic logic, it advocates for an integrative approach that incorporates social values, local wisdom, and participatory democracy into policy formulation. read more

Two lecturers from the Department of Politics and Government (DPP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada, Arie Ruhyanto and Amalinda Savirani, have once again achieved academic recognition through their latest publication in the reputable Asian Journal of Political Science, published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis). The article, titled “Comparing Village Politics Across Time and Space,” was co-authored with Edward Aspinall and Ward Berenschot.

The article offers a profound comparative study of village politics in Indonesia, examining not only geographical differences but also temporal changes. The authors explore how practices of power, patronage relations, and political participation at the village level have evolved across different periods and regions. read more

Two lecturers from the Department of Politics and Government (DPP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada, Amalinda Savirani and Arie Ruhyanto, have once again contributed to international scholarship through their latest publication in the prestigious journal Asian Journal of Political Science (Routledge, Taylor & Francis). The article, titled “Analysing and Explaining Variation in Village Governance Regimes Across Indonesia,” was co-authored with Edward Aspinall and Ward Berenschot. read more

Bayu Dardias Kurniadi, lecturer at the Department of Politics and Government (DPP), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada, has achieved another academic milestone through his latest publication in the internationally renowned journal Journal of Peasant Studies (Routledge). The article, titled “Dispossession by Archive: Contemporary Land Grabbing Through Colonial Land Deeds in Indonesia,” was co-authored with Diana Suhardiman, Ward Berenschot, Dianto Bachriadi, Hilma Safitri, and Rizki Maulana Hakim. read more

The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), continues to demonstrate its contribution to advancing knowledge through international scholarly publications. Arya Budi, S.I.P., MAPS, a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government (DPP) FISIPOL UGM, has successfully published his research article in the peer-reviewed international journal Studia Politica Polonica, published by De Gruyter Brill.

The article, titled “Estimating Crowd: Electoral Adjustment and Spatial Effects of Turnout During the Covid-19 Pandemic,” discusses a timely and relevant theme: how the Covid-19 pandemic influenced voter behavior during local elections, with a particular focus on the 2020 Surabaya mayoral election. read more