BEIJING — The Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FISIP UI), has once again marked a proud milestone on the global stage. Professor Dr. Semiarto Aji Purwanto, a Professor of Anthropology at Universitas Indonesia, was specially invited as a keynote speaker at the prestigious 1st China-Indonesia Dialogue on Rural Transformation and Development, held in Beijing on June 2, 2026.
This high-level bilateral dialogue forum was hosted by the College of International Development and Global Agriculture (CIDGA) at China Agricultural University (CAU)—one of China’s leading academic institutions. In addition to drawing international scholars, this strategic agenda brought together key delegates from Indonesia’s policymaking institutions, including Bappenas (the Ministry of National Development Planning) and IPB University.
In his keynote address, titled “The Social History of Rural Transformation in Java: State, Agrarian Change, and the Afterlife of Farming,” Prof. Aji captivated delegates with a profound reflection on the social history of Javanese villages. He urged the audience to look beyond mere economic productivity figures, examining instead how rural life has been reorganized over time.
Prof. Aji highlighted the transition from the centralized agricultural modernization programs of the New Order era to the multi-actor landscape of the post-Reformasi period. He also introduced the concept of “The Afterlife of Farming,” demonstrating how the memory, bodily skills, and agrarian identity of rural communities never truly vanish despite land conversion or migration. Instead, they endure and manifest anew in urban spaces, such as through urban agriculture practices in Jakarta.
Beyond his academic presentation, Prof. Aji made optimal use of this international visit to open strategic opportunities for the institution. On the sidelines of the forum, exploratory talks were held to expand academic partnerships between the Department of Anthropology at FISIP UI and China Agricultural University (CAU). The discussions covered the initiation of joint research projects, faculty and student exchange programs, and various future collaborative academic agendas.
The Department of Anthropology at Universitas Indonesia extends its warmest congratulations and highest appreciation to Prof. Semiarto Aji Purwanto for his dedication to bringing Indonesian anthropological perspectives to the world stage, while simultaneously strengthening our academic contributions and networks internationally.
