Yogyakarta, August 30th 2022—The Department of Public Policy and Management of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (DMKP FISIPOL) UGM held a book review of Membaca Tamansiswa dari Dekat (Budaya Organisasi di Tamansiswa) on Tuesday (30/8) in the BB Auditorium Room, 4th Floor, FISIPOL UGM. Ria Putri Palupijati, author of ‘Membaca Tamansiswa dari Dekat (Budaya Organisasi di Tamansiswa)’, was here to explain the contents of her book. Sri Ratna Saktimulya, Head of UGM Center for Cultural Studies; Tri Suparyanto, lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa; and Ario Wicaksono, lecturer of DMKP FISIPOL UGM were present as responders.
Ria stated that the Membaca Tamansiswa dari Dekat (Budaya Organisasi di Tamansiswa) was her master’s thesis at DMKP FISIPOL UGM which was recorded. The writing of the thesis started with Ria’s interest in Javanese philosophy. “My interest in Javanese philosophy led me to become a museum ambassador,” explained Ria. As a museum ambassador, Ria was once placed in the Dewantara Museum, which later became the reason she is familiar with Tamansiswa.
Tamansiswa, according to Ria’s research, started with a passion to improve the soul and mentality of the Indonesian people through education. These values are important in the progress of the Indonesian nation under colonial rule. “After it ended, the regeneration of Tamansiswa produced five ministers in eight cabinets during the Old Order era and members of the Central and Regional DPR in the New Order era,” explained Ria.
Now, according to Ria, Tamansiswa is developing into an educational institution that needs to improve. There are several cultural values in Tamansiswa that according to Ria need to be revitalized. “The culture of being ‘tidak tegaan’ (not having a heart to) in the style of Javanese culture, for example, is a culture that needs to be abandoned because it has a bad effect on the development of organizational professionalism,” said Ria. In addition to revitalizing its internal culture, according to Ria, Tamansiswa also needs to be transformed into a more inclusive social movement.