Semarang, August 20, 2025 – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Universitas Diponegoro (FISIP UNDIP) successfully organized a series of academic activities entitled Workshop on International Academic Writing, followed by a communal screening of the documentary film Amplop Demokrasi. The event was attended by academic communities across faculties and featured keynote speaker Prof. Ward Berenschot, a prominent scholar widely referenced in studies of democracy and Indonesian politics.
In his opening remarks, Dean of FISIP UNDIP, Dr. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin., emphasized the importance of encouraging academic publications that can reach global platforms. Prof. Ward Berenschot added that writing and publishing scholarly articles in English presents a unique challenge for Indonesian academics. “English as an academic medium often becomes a barrier, but through workshops like this, we hope participants will be able to produce better and more globally relevant work,” he stated.
The workshop included presentation sessions from participants showcasing their manuscript drafts. One of the presentations that drew particular attention was delivered by Dr. Nurul Hasfi, S.Sos., MA., with her article titled Negotiating Gender Norms through Social Media, Urban Youth and Online Campaigns in Indonesia. Prof. Ward Berenschot provided strategic feedback, emphasizing the importance of thematic focus and global relevance in developing the article.
This activity yielded several key outcomes, including revised manuscript drafts that are more prepared for international publication, written and oral feedback from the keynote speaker on 13 participant manuscripts, and concrete recommendations for improving research methodology and publication strategies.
The event continued with the screening of the documentary film Amplop Demokrasi, also attended by Prof. Ward Berenschot. The session was opened with remarks from Vice Rector IV for Research, Innovation, Collaboration, and Public Communication, Wijayanto, S.IP., M.Si., Ph.D., who stated that this event serves as an important moment for the academic community to strengthen scholarly culture and engage in critical reflection on democratic practices in Indonesia.
The documentary highlights the phenomenon of money politics that permeates even the most basic levels of democratic practice. One segment that sparked intense discussion featured a member of parliament proposing the partial legalization of money politics to the General Elections Commission (KPU), citing the difficulty of eradicating such practices in Indonesia.
Following the screening, a discussion session was held with two speakers: Dr. Nur Hidayat Sardini, S.Sos., S.H., M.Si., and Muhammad Bayu Widagdo, S.Sos., M.Si., who provided critical responses to the film and opened a dialogue with participants.
This event not only strengthened participants’ academic writing capacities but also created space for collective reflection on the challenges of contemporary democracy in Indonesia. FISIP UNDIP remains committed to facilitating academic forums that promote quality, relevance, and intellectual courage in addressing the nation’s strategic issues.
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