The Centre for Law and Social Justice (LSJ) at the UGM Faculty of Law has taken a proactive role in raising awareness of the importance of academic freedom across Southeast Asia. At the Sixth SEAHRN International Conference (Southeast Asian Human Rights Studies Network), held from Tuesday, August 13, to Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the St. Giles Wembley Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, LSJ Chair Herlambang P. Wiratraman served as a main speaker in the plenary session themed "Academic Freedom: Opportunities and Threats to Academic Freedom in Southeast Asia."
In his presentation, Herlambang examined how the state of academic freedom in Indonesia is shaped by political dynamics, and outlined the ongoing attacks against academic freedom the issues and patterns driving them. He highlighted the particular challenges faced by academic freedom coalitions in the context of Indonesia's authoritarian political tendencies.
In this era of deception, academic freedom faces unprecedented challenges, as anti-science narratives and policies continue to gain dominance. The rise of predatory elites within political and economic power structures that sustain oligarchic politics has also contributed to the co-optation and suppression of freedom of expression within universities as educational institutions. One strategy that continues to be imposed is the normalization of abusive and arbitrary practices through the deliberate creation of confusion and misinformation.
At the AAS-in-Asia Conference 2024 at UGM (July 9–11, 2024), LSJ — together with the Indonesian Academic Freedom Caucus (Kaukus Indonesia untuk Kebebasan Akademik/KIKA) — organized a dedicated panel on Academic Freedom in Southeast Asia. The panel attracted over 30 participants from across the region and featured presentations by Sriprapha Petcharamesree (Chulalongkorn University), Bencharat Sae Chua (Coordinator, Southeast Asian Coalition for Academic Freedom; Mahidol University), Riwanto Tirtosudarmo (independent researcher; BRIN and KIKA adviser), Dhia Al Uyun (Chair, Campus Workers' Union), and Satria Wicaksana (Dean of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya; Chair of KIKA).
The discussions underscored that academic freedom across Southeast Asia has been shaped and constrained by the politics of each nation. But the realities on the ground vary considerably, depending on the strength of social movements within academia, the role of independent and progressive alliances in defending rights, and the capacity of faculty unions to defend academic and scholarly freedom.
Participants also discussed strategies for resisting democratic backsliding and the shrinking of civic space across the region. This is considered crucial for progress in the fields of science, economy, culture, and society, all of which can bring broader benefits to the public. The meeting also aimed to encourage the development of possible strategies for addressing democratic backsliding, which has contributed to the shrinking of civic space, including in the Southeast Asian region.
Penulis: Pusat Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan Sosial (LSJ)
Editor: Public Relations
