Yogyakarta, March 4, 2026 ─ The Youth Studies Centre (YouSure) at FISIPOL UGM, in collaboration with the Youth, Human Capital, & Future of Work (YHCFW) Research Group from the Population Research Center of BRIN, held a virtual book discussion on Wednesday (4/3). The event, titled Reading Group “Reboan” #141 “Introduction to Youth Perspectives: Transition, Culture, and Social Generations” (Pengantar Perspektif Kepemudaan: Transisi, Budaya dan Generasi Sosial) by Oki Rahadianto Sutopo and Elok Santi Jesica.
The discussion featured the author and Director of YouSure, Oki Rahadianto Sutopo (Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, FISIPOL UGM), and Gutomo Bayu Aji (Researcher at BRIN’s Population Research Center) as speakers. The session was moderated by Fikri Muslim, also a researcher at BRIN.
Completed in 2023 and officially released to the public in 2025, the book brings a fresh breeze to the field of youth studies. In his opening remarks, Oki stated:
“The perspectives of transition, youth culture, and social generations are the foundational lenses used to help young people see themselves while navigating the future.”
The book is designed to resonate deeply with contemporary youth, utilizing a cross-disciplinary approach that blends Sociology with Media and Cultural Studies. This is evident in the inclusion of various pop culture examples that mirror the lived realities of today’s youth. The authors hope this work serves as an “opening door” for anyone looking to familiarize themselves with Youth Studies.
This sentiment was echoed by Gutomo Bayu Aji, who praised the book as a pioneer in Indonesia for mapping three major approaches of transition, culture, and social generations into a book. Gutomo reviewed the five chapters: Introduction, Transition Perspective, Youth Culture Perspective, Social Generation Perspective, and Alternative Developments in Youth Studies. Notably, he highlighted how the book challenges the dominance of Global North theories, offering space for the voices and experiences of young people in the Global South, such as Indonesia.
The discussion concluded with a reflection by Dr. Phil. Oki, who noted that young people do not start from the same point; some can run fast, while others can only walk slowly. Therefore, the future agenda must provide more diverse spaces and options, allowing the younger generation to explore and imagine their own versions of their future selves based on the realities they face today.