Semarang, April 25, 2025 — The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Diponegoro University successfully held a national webinar titled “Disability Studies and the Politics of the Body in Literary and Cultural Criticism” on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 9:00 AM (WIB). This academic event is part of a series aimed at expanding critical discussions on contemporary issues in literature and culture, with a focus on inclusive and interdisciplinary approaches.
The event was officially opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Prof. Dr. Alamsyah, M.Hum., who emphasized the importance of sustaining academic spaces that engage with the social representation of marginalized groups, particularly people with disabilities. According to him, the study of literature and culture goes beyond aesthetics and texts—it is closely connected to social practices, power structures, and bodily identities that have often been overlooked in mainstream discourse.
The webinar featured Asri Saraswati, Ph.D., a lecturer and researcher from the Faculty of Humanities, University of Indonesia, as the keynote speaker. Well-known in the fields of cultural studies, gender, and disability studies, Dr. Saraswati delivered a presentation titled “Body, Representation, and Power: Reading Disability in Literary and Cultural Criticism.” Her talk explored how social constructions of the “different” body are depicted in literary texts and popular culture. She emphasized the need for intersectional approaches in analyzing the representation of disability, and how literary criticism can serve as a tool to dismantle stereotypes and create alternative, more humane and inclusive narratives.
The discussion, which lasted for over two hours, was moderated by Fani Nirmalasari and saw lively participation from the audience. Attendees included not only academics and students, but also literary community members, disability rights advocates, and cultural observers from various regions in Indonesia.
The webinar provided a meaningful and reflective platform for the exchange of ideas, highlighting how the body—as both a biological and social entity—is often a site of politics within literary and cultural narratives. The focus on disability was not merely a topic of discussion, but also a call to re-examine how we understand diversity, agency, and humanity in cultural storytelling.
This event reaffirms the commitment of the Master’s Program in Literature at FIB Undip to promoting literary studies that are critical, contextual, and socially relevant. It is hoped that the webinar will spark further academic dialogue and interdisciplinary collaborations toward the development of inclusive and transformative literary criticism.
With high enthusiasm and positive responses from participants, the webinar concluded with hopes for more academic platforms in the future that elevate progressive themes and give voice to perspectives that have long been marginalized in mainstream narratives.
Recent Comments