This forum aims at exploring and updating the academic development of religious studies. The forum design to be a space for the academic community to share their activities such as research, publications, etc. Which have done by lecturers, CRCS staff, CRCS students, the exchange student of CRCS, CRCS alumni etc. The forum is open not only for CRCS, but also for outsiders who have a commitment to share religious issues openly and academically.

Each sossion in the forum will present key speakers who will present thier papers for approximately 30 minutes. Afterwards, a discussion will be held. A moderator will guide the forum. The result of the discussion will be up-loaded on CRCS website, so the discussion can be continues on CRCS website.
For people who are interested in being key speaker at CRCS Friday Afternoo Forum, please to send an abstarct and your theme, to Iqbal Ahnaf by email at: i_ahnaf@ugm.ac.id.

On July 27, 2007, CRCS will hold discussion titled ?Religion and politics in America?. The key speaker will be Peter Levenda and the respondent will be Omer Awwas. Peter Levenda is CRCS Exchange student from the Florida International University and Omer Awwas is CRCS exchange student from the Temple University. The discussion will be held on:

Date: Friday, July 27, 2007
Venue: Graduate School Building, third floor, room 306
Time: 01:00-02:30. PM

Some of Peter Levenda publications are:

1. Sinister forces: a Grimier of American political witchcraft, volume I-III
2. Unholy alliance, A History of Nazi Involvement with the Occult

The discussion is free of charge, if you are interested please come on time.

On July 18, 2007, CRCS and ICRS will hold discussion titled ?Indonesia Betrayed; How Development Exploited?. The key speaker will be Elizabeth Fuller Collins PhD. The speaker is a lecturer at Ohio University since 1991. The discussion will be held on:

Date: Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Venue: Graduate School Building , third floor, room 306
Time: 02.00-04.00. PM

Some of the speaker publications about Indonesia are:

1. Islam is the Solution: Dakwah and Democracy in Indonesia. (2004, forthcoming).
2. Islam and the Habits of Democracy: Islamic Organizations in Post-New Order South Sumatra. Indonesia (2004).
3. Indonesia: A Violent Culture? Asian Survey 42:4 (2002)
4. Multinational Capital, New Order Development? and Democratization in South Sumatra. Indonesia 71 (2001).
5. To Know Shame in Malay Societies. With Ernaldi Bahar. Crossroads 14 (2000).
6. (Re)negotiating Gender Hierarchy in the New Order: A South Sumatran Field Study Asia Pacific Viewpoint 37:2 (1996).

To know more about Elizabeth Fuller Collins PhD. and her paper which relates to the topic of discussion, please download here.

On July 16, 2007, CRCS will hold discussion titled ?Reform Movement in Thai Buddhism?. The key speaker will be Dr. Tavivat Puntarigvivat and the respondent will be Dr. John Raines. Dr. Tzuivat Puntigravivat is professor in the Humanities Department at Mahidol University in Thailand and was head of its Comparative Religion graduate program from 1995 to 1997. His lectures and essays on social ethics from cross-cultural and Buddhist perspectives reflect his first-hand experiences as a bhikkhu in the Thai Theravada tradition. Dr. John Raines is professor of religion at Temple University. His area of expertise is Religion and Society. In this discussion, Dr Raines will be respondent from Christian perspective.

The 31st edition of Resonansi, which will be broadcasted live by RRI on June 7, 2007, will discusse ?Reawakening Social Institutions and National Culture?. Besides RRI, Resonansi talkshow can be watched on TVRI-Jogja on Friday and Monday (June 8 and 11, 2007) at 18.00-17.00, or read in Radar Jogja newspaper on June 11, 2007.

Ecological crisis, hardship, social differences, dehumanization, crime, are serious problems now. These problems relate to each other and influence not only general livelihood but also one?s personal life. The rise of divorce cases, drug abuse, depression, psychopaty, schizophrenia, and suicide are called by Fritjof Capra as “civilization diseases” have become part of modern life. Development of science and technology, which has become modernity?s icon does not always have a positive correlation with human prosperity. Social and cultural institutions which can harmonize relationships between human beings with God and human beings with nature slowly but surely are swallowed by time of modernity which more emphasize rationality and advantage compared to conscience.

On June 5, 2007, CRCS will hold discussion titled ?Muslim journalist in Canada?. The key speaker will be Haroon Siddique. Haroon Siddique is a Canadian Journalist and Muslim who received the Order of Canada Award. This award is given to people who have demonstrated excellence, courage or exceptional dedication to service in ways that bring special credit to Canada. Haroon Siddique received this award because of his efforts in struggling fairness and equality of opportunity in Canada.

The discussion will be held in Graduate School Building, GMU, room 306, at 13.00. to 15.00. If you are interested in joining the discussion please register with Iqbal Ahanf. Email. ahnafe7@yahoo.com or send SMS to 085835169940. this event is free of charge, however the number of participants is limited.