CRCS-ICRS Wednesday Forum
Indonesian And Western Social Imaginaries
September 12, 2012 (12:30 – 14:30pm)
Venue: ROOM 306, UGM Graduate School Building 3rd floor.
Abstract
Western social theory is frequently based on a paradigm of development from traditional societies to modernity. This paper argues that there is not one “modernity” but rather multiple modernities. Linear “progress” is part of a Western social imagination of development from simple, irrational, religious, traditional societies to complex, rational modern societies ruled by science. The paper suggests that how Indonesians imagine social reality is different from how people in the West imagine society. However not all Indonesians imagine the same social reality. Using Weberian ideal types, the paper suggests that part of the diversity in Indonesian society stems from competing social imaginaries, not just between “East” and “West”, but between different combinations of practices, stories, hopes, beliefs and imaginations which come from many different sources.
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Bernard T. Adeney-Risakotta. His doctoral degree was earned from the Graduate Theological Union at the University of California, Berkeley, in Religion and Society, Social Ethics and Political Science. His academic interests are mainly in Ethics, politics, society, and religious studies. He received his bachelor degree in Asian Studies and English Literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, while his master degree was obtained from the University of London, England, in Social Ethics and Asian Religions. His publications are: “Globalization, Religion and Fundamentalism” (2006), “Power from Below: Deconstructing the Dominant Paradigm” (2005), “Etika Sosial Lintas Budaya” (2000), “Strange Virtues: Ethics in a Multicultural World” (1995), “Just War, Political Realism & Faith” (1988), “Ambivalensi Teknologi” in Ilmu, Etika dan Agama (2006), “Teologi Bencana –Pendahuluan” in Teologi Bencana – Pergumulan Iman dalam Konteks Bencana Alam dan Bencana Sosial“ (2006), etc.
Free refreshment is provided!
Contact person:
Amanah Nurish, CRCS-ICRS offices, UGM Graduate School, 3rd floor; Jl. Teknika Utara Pogung Yogyakarta 55281, Phone: 0274 – 562570, 544976; email: wednesdayforum@yahoo.co.id; amnuris@yahoo.com Hp: 081904205521
