Abstract
Tony Albert is a politically-minded artist provoked by stereotypical representations of Aboriginal people and the colonial history that attempts to define him, and what Aboriginality is, in the present. Interrogating contemporary legacies of colonialism that have impacted the lives of Aboriginal peoples in his homeland of Australia, he mines popular culture imagery and art historical source material while drawing upon personal and collective histories. His talk will explore Australian politics in relation to his own art practice. Examining the legacy of racial and cultural misrepresentation, particularly of Australia’s Aboriginal people, Albert has developed a universal language that seeks to rewrite historical mistruths and injustice.
Speaker
Tony Albert has spent the majority of his life in Brisbane, but has strong family connections further north to the Girramay and Kuku Yalanji people of the rainforest region of Australia. In 2004 he completed a degree in Visual Arts, majoring in Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art, at Griffith University. His work has been exhibited and collected by major institutions throughout Australia and he is currently artist-in- residence at Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta.

Asep S. Sudjatna | CRCS UGM | SPK NEWS
“Sebenarnya di kalangan aktivis, penelitian itu juga tidak absen, pun sebaliknya,”  cetusan Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Ahnaf , Ketua program Sekolah Pengelolaan Keragaman (SPK) VIII itu memantik perhatian para peserta yang hadir pada pembukaan SPK VIII di Disaster Oasis Kaliurang, Yogyakarta. Selama ini, aktivis dan akademisi seolah diposisikan sebagai bagian terpisah yang bekerja di ranah masing-masing. Dikotomi inilah yang sedang dikritisi oleh CRCS UGM melalui program SPK VIII. “Di kalangan akademisi, banyak sekali akademisi yang aktivis, pun banyak pula aktivis yang peneliti. Sebenarnya irisan-irisan itu sudah ada” tukas Iqbal. Pengategorian ini tidak hanya menciptakan kesenjangan semu tetapi seringkali malah menimbulkan persoalan baru. Para aktivis yang getol terjun ke lapangan dalam penyelesaian berbagai konflik keragaman kerap terbentur masalah data riset dan basis pengetahuan sebagai landasan advokasi. Di sisi lain, para akademisi yang mencoba melibatkan diri dalam proses advokasi cenderung terpaku pada teori dan kurang menguasai medan. Dalam konteks inilah SPK VIII berusaha menjembatani kesenjangan antara dunia akademis dan aktivis. Kolaborasi kreatif antara aktivis-akademisi ini akan mampu memberi terobosan dalam penyelesaian masalah-masalah keragaman tersebut.
Sementara itu, dalam kesempatan yang sama, Prof. Ir. Suryo Purwono, MA.Sc., Ph.D, Direktur Sekolah Pascasarjana UGM, menggarisbawahi tentang kekayaan keragaman Indonesia sebagai sebuah kekuatan yang tidak dapat ditandingi negara mana pun. “Sayangnya,” ujar profesor yang menamatkan studi doktoralnya di University of Waterloo, Kanada, ini, “Pengelolaan keragaman ini belum dapat ditangani dengan baik” Lebih lanjut, Prof. Suryo berharap agar setelah selesai mengikuti kegiatan ini, para peserta SPK tak hanya dapat menjadi pemantik dan pelopor bagi komunitasnya tetapi juga membangun jejaring yang solid dalam pengelolaan keragaman di Indonesia.
Untuk mewujudkan hal itu, konsep pembelajaran SPK memadukan antara kuliah dan pelatihan. Secara garis besar, ada tiga tahapan penting dalam proses pembelajaran di SPK yang akan dilalui oleh para peserta. Ketiga tahapan tersebut yaitu pemetaan masalah, pengayaan teoretis, serta advokasi berbasis riset. Selain membekali dengan materi yang bersifat teoretis, program SPK juga mengasah dimensi praktis para peserta melalui studi kasus secara nyata. “Jadi, kita tidak mengajari peserta bagaimana cara melakukan advokasi, yang kita lakukan adalah memperkaya alat analisa peserta dalam merefleksikan pengalaman advokasi mereka,” ujar Iqbal.
Perlu diketahui, 25 peserta SPK VIII tak cuma berasal dari beragam latar belakang—seperti profesi, jenis kelamin serta agama dan suku—tetapi juga orang-orang yang aktif dalam mengadvokasi situasi keragaman di komunitasnya. Seluruh peserta ini merupakan hasil seleksi ketat terhadap ratusan calon peserta dari seluruh wilayah di Indonesia yang mengirimkan aplikasi lamaran peserta beberapa bulan sebelumnya. Selain itu, keterwakilan wilayah juga menjadi salah satu pertimbangan dalam pemilihan peserta.
Pada hari pertama SPK ini, para peserta melakukan kontrak belajar yang akan menjadi tata tertib selama proses pembelajaran di SPK ini berlangsung. Nia Sjarifudin, fasilitator SPK VIII yang berasal dari Aliansi Nasional Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (ANBTI) memandu sesi kontrak belajar ini. Selanjutnya, Dr. Zainal Abidin Bagir, fasilitator dari CRCS UGM, mengajak peserta SPK untuk bersama memetakan berbagai persoalan keberagaman. Dari diskusi yang gayeng tapi serius, dirumuskanlah lima pokok persoalan yang kerap hadir dalam persoalan keberagaman, yakni interfaith atau hubungan antar agama, perempuan, masyarakat adat, pendidikan, dan media. Kelima tema inilah—dengan segenap polemik dan persoalan turunannya—yang akan menjadi bahasan sepanjang SPK berlangsung. Malam semakin larut, namun para peserta masih bersemangat untuk berbagi pengalaman soal pengelolaan keragaman. Semangat ini pula yang menjadi titik pijak pertama kebersamaan dari serangkaian acara SPK yang masih akan berlangsung hingga sepuluh hari ke depan. 

Nidaul Hasanah M | CRCS | Artikel
Sedekah Kedung Winong merupakan salah satu dari serangkaian kegiatan Ruwat Rawat Candi Borobudur yang dilakukan selama bertahun-tahun di Dusun Gleyoran, sekitar 3 kilometer dari Candi Borobudur. Ruwat Rawat Borobudur sendiri merupakan kegiatan kesenian rakyat yang bertujuan untuk menjaga tradisi, budaya masyarakat yang tinggal di sekitar Candi Borobudur yang multi etnis dan multi agama. Kegiatan ini merupakan upaya untuk menjaga dan merawat Candi Borobudur beserta masyarakatnya dan ekologinya agar tetap harmoni dan tidak terdapat relasi yang eksploitatif.
Pada 3 Mei 2016 lalu, mahasiswa CRCS angkatan 2015 yang mengambil mata kuliah Advanced Study of Buddhism mengadakan kuliah lapangan (fieldtrip) dengan menghadiri acara Ruwat Rawat Borobudur selain kunjungan ke Vihara Mendut yang berada dekat Borobudur.
Bagi masyarakat dusun Gleyoran, Sungai Progo beserta ekosistemnya selama ini telah menjadi bagian yang menyatu dan penting bagi kehidupan mereka. Kedung Winong merupakan tempat bagi banyak penduduk dusun Gleyoran untuk menambatkan kehidupan disana dengan mencari bebatuan, pasir serta menjaring ikan. Karena itulah penduduk dusun Gleyoran memiliki relasi yang kuat dengan Kedung Winong yang terletak di daerah aliran Sungai Progo. Bagi mereka Sungai Progo telah memberikan kehidupan sehingga menjaga kelestariannya  merupakan hal yang wajib dilakukan oleh penduduk dusun Gleyoran.
Ritual Sedekah Kedung Winong merupakan salah satu bentuk  konservasi ekologi Sungai Progo. Ritual yang dilakukan dengan serangkaian doa, tarian dan persembahan hasil bumi masyarakat dusun Gleyoran secara simbolis merupakan bentuk relasi resiprokal menyatunya manusia dengan Sungai Progo. Kelestarian ekologi Sungai Progo bagi penduduk dusun Gleyoran adalah berkah kehidupan. Sungai Progo juga merupakan sungai yang memiliki relasi dengan Candi Borobudur sehingga menjaga ekologi sungai juga menjaga Borobudur dari keserakahan manusia agar harmoni tetap terjadi dan terjaga.
Tujuan lain dari Sedhekah Kedung Winong adalah memecah konsentrasi wisata sekitar Borobudur. Wisatawan biasanya terpusat pada Borobudur dan beberapa dari mereka melakukan hal yang tidak pantas pada tempat suci. Hal yang tak pantas tersebut dianggap mengotori keagungan Borobudur, dengan ritual Sedhekah Kedung Winong diharapkan dapat  meminimalisir polusi yang ada di Borobudur.
Saat ini Borobudur memang menjadi magnet wisata bagi seluruh penjuru dunia. Ratusan ribu wisatawan datang demi menyaksikan peninggalan dari Wangsa Syailendra yang dibangun sekitar abad ke 7 Masehi. Pak Coro tak menampik fenomena tersebut, namun dia juga turut mengingatkan bahwa Borobudur juga tempat suci. Bertahun-tahun dia dianggap sebagai benda mati sementara kita lupa bahwa ada kesenangan yang diberikan Borobudur ketika kita menatapnya. Sedhekah Kedung Winong memang hanya dilakukan satu hari, namun Pak Coro beserta pemerhati budaya lain tetap memaksimalkan satu hari tersebut. Mereka ingin membuat Borobudur “beristirahat” sejenak dari hiruk pikuk wisatawan yang datang. Tak lupa, sedhekah ini juga merupakan ungkapan rasa terima kasih kepada Borobudur atas apa yang telah diberikan. Berkat Borobudur-lah, masyarakat mampu mengambil manfaat baik segi material maupun moral.
Sekali lagi, Pak Coro mengingatkan, Sedhekah Kedung Winong mungkin hanya dilakukan sekali dalam setahun, namun itu tetap bisa kita jadikan pengingat bahwa keharmonisan tidak akan terjadi jika salah satu pihak dirugikan. Seluruh aspek dalam kehidupan bersatu padu menghormati satu sama lain demi terciptanya keserasian alam.

Anang Alfian | CRCS | Class Journal
For new CRCS students, learning different things every day, getting involved  in the academic activities, as well as completing weekly assignments are truly challenging. Take, for example, the third meeting of the Academic Study of Religion taught by Dr. Samsul Maarif, aka Mas Anchu.  That afternoon, we had a nice discussion about two classical theories of religion, from E.B. Tylor and James A. Frazer, both of whom perceived religion as a failed epistemology and constructed by society. This course introduces students to the classical theories of religion and their significances for explaining today’s religious phenomena from a number of disciplines including anthropology, sociology, psychology, history, philosophy, theology, and others. As interdisciplinary study, the Academic Study of Religion examines the complexity of religious phenomena and academic discourse around it.
Before the meeting, we had to submit a response paper of the given material as warming up before we dive into the subject. The response paper also quite useful to make students more engage with the class discussion. At the first, it might not be easy for us to read around sixty pages and make response papers as well as put our reflection to the issue. Yet, we felt like getting used to it after three other assignments from other subjects. During the class, Dr. Samsul Maarif, our lecturer, divided us into four groups. We were being trained to argue and debate about how Tylor and Frazer differed in conceptualizing the origins of religion. Tylor claimed that animism is the origin of religion, while Frazer argued that the magic is. Moreover, students also stated their opinions and critics to the theories based on their response papers. During this session, the students and the lecturer also shared their views. It doesn’t take a long time for the class to turn into a fun place for exchanging and elaborating the ideas.
During the discussion, sometimes Mas Anchu, Dr.Samsul Maarif’s nick name, triggered our critical analysis by asking us to contextualize the classical theories in Indonesian circumstances. He questioned what might be the effect of Tylor’s and Frazer’s way of thinking on animism in shaping the image of religion in Indonesia, for example, to the indigenous religion of the Javanese. Some students argued that what Tylor and Frazer did as generalizing the idea of religion without acknowledging that each religion might have its own unique structures and traditions. Some others reckoned that the notions created negative stereotypes for the Javanese religion adherents as backward people who worship the trees, stones, sea, and so forth. We could see the impact of the Tylor’s and Frazer’s legacy until nowadays. People who still practice their indigenous traditions are perceived as performing black magic or syncretism that in turn discriminated them from society.
Meanwhile, the class atmosphere is one of the crucial determinants for new students in learning religion and culture in CRCS. The discussion method really helps us to get critical thinking as well to be more engaged with the issue in our daily life. In the following meeting, we will present the topic to refine our skills in leading the discussion. Starting from seventh meeting, one or two students will lead the class discussion of particular issues related to the studies. All this academic activity is quite helpful to get better understanding and critical thinking. Honestly, it was hard at first. Yet, we have started to like the atmosphere of study in CRCS because we know that it is all great for us to develop ourselves academically and intellectually. Anyway, we really enjoy the classes.
 

Meta Ose Ginting | CRCS | Wednesday Forum Report
Corruption is one of many problems that Indonesia as a nation faces. It is not only a law-related problem but also a cultural problem. As such, culture and the values it promotes could also in one way or another be a powerful weapon to fight corruption. These are the points that Subandri Simbolon emphasized in his presentation about a ritual of sharing meat as a value to prevent corruption in Toba Batak society.
To begin his presentation, Subandri showed a video about the process of sharing meat (membagi jambar) ritual at a wedding in Batak land. The video tells about how the meat is shared to certain groups of families as a symbol of acknowledgment and appreciation of their existence. In the video, family members circle around the meat as it is being cut into specific portions and one person lifts up a portion of the meat and calls out family names and gives the meat to them as other people can watch them clearly. The portion of the meat is given out based on the Batak system of family kinship called Dalinan No Tolu..
The process of sharing jambar is arranged in some parts. First, mengalap ari. Mengalap ari is the process of choosing a good day to begin the ritual. Secondly, the ritual begins by cutting the meat into certain portions while the audience can see it clearly. The leader will then share the meat to the people by calling their names. Here is the strong educational point by the sharing meat ritual happened. By sharing the meat and let everyone watch it, it teaches people about honesty, appreciation and acknowledgment of the relationships among families. The meat being shared in jambar juhut is a representative of “source of life”. By receiving the source of life, people are receiving blessings. Other than being a symbol of blessing, meat also a symbol of people’s rights. When they receive their portion, it means their existence and their rights to be involved and participate are being acknowledged.. Therefore, discussing blessing and rights in the Toba Batak context invites people to not be greedy and to say enough when it is enough.
Subandri highlighted the point that in the process of sharing meat there are strong and meaningful interpretations where the generations can learn about anti-corruption attitudes. Moreover he added, in the ritual of jambar juhut there is a strong relational concept shows that humans are connected to each other. Because this cultural conception is to some extent closer to Batak Toba people’s daily lives than the abstract legal definitions of fairness and government laws, Subandri argued  that it can be more effective and powerful to turn people from corruption. In a relational framework, corruption is an activity that is detrimental because it violates and even negatesrelationshipsReflecting on this relational framework, Subandri  revisited the meaning of sharing meat in Toba Batak tradition, arguing that it can be interpreted as an effort to strengthen relationships and promote honesty.
During the discussion session there were many fascinating questions that led people to deeper reflection on how humans sometimes are separated from their tradition to such an extent that they no longer think of it as a part of their existence or as a medium to learn from but merely as ceremony. One challenging question was about how, in many other traditions, instead of fulfilling the intention of renewing people’s understanding about relationships, this kind of ritual fails because it becomes a problem because of economic reasons. In order to answer that, Subandri encouraged the audience to think about the meat as a symbol of source of life: if it feels burdensome, people can replace the meat with something else like vegetables so that no one will be excluded.   Subandri was also asked about the role of Christianity as the major religion in Toba land in this kind of ritual. He answered that while sometimes a priest or pastor is invited to begin the ceremony with prayer, there is not really any significant influence.
The discussion came to an end with a challenging invitation for all of us to find in our own culture the values that we can use to develop  a cultural defense against corruption.  Even though there is always to the possibility we might misinterpret the meaning of rituals such as this one,  in the end, it is worth trying.

Abstract
Who has the authority to end the discrimination and violence religious minority groups continue to face despite protections promised in Indonesia’s constitution? This talk examines three recent cases—the Ahmadiyya in West Java, Shi’a in East Java, and two HKBP churches also in West Java—to show how the three kinds of authority (legal-rational, traditional, and charismatic) identified by Max Weber are all used to legitimate extremism and violence in the face of contradictory actions by the government, including religious leaders with institutional authority inside it. Unless the actors in the government recognize that they must use their authority responsibly, extremist religious leaders who seek to mobilize hate against others, especially minorities, will continue to be able to do so and Indonesian society will remain immature.
Speaker
Imanuel Geovasky is graduated from School of Public Policy and Social Research International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan. He got Japan ICU Foundation Scholarship (JICUF) (New York based) and United Board for Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA) (New York and Hongkong based) Faculty Development Scholarship for Master Degree in Peace Studies at International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan, from September 2013 – July 2015. His focus research on Religious-based violence and discrimation against minorities in Indonesia society, Human security and Peace building.