In conjunction with its 65th Anniversary, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, collaborated with the South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion (SSEASR) to host the 10th SSEASR International Conference under the theme “Sustainability in Cultural and Religious Traditions in South and Southeast Asia.”
Held on December 2–3, 2024, at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Moch. Zainul Arifin, a PhD student in Cultural and Media Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada, had the opportunity to participate. This conference also served as a regional event for the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR), a member of CIPSH under UNESCO.
For years, South and Southeast Asia have been considered home to a wide range of cultural and religious traditions, continuously evolving through the intellectual and instrumental practices of their people. The conference aimed to encourage scholars and students to engage in academic dialogues on the diverse and unique cultural practices across various domains, as well as their development, transformations, and sustainability over time.
In an effort to understand cultural sustainability in the digital media era, Zainul focused on how social actors maintain their cultural tastes. As part of the Technologies and the Study of Religions panel chaired by Prof. Dr. John Solt, the 2022 cohort student presented his ongoing research on “literary taste on social media.”
Prof. Dr. John Solt, who also presented an article titled “Will A.I. Delete Faith from Religion?” in another panel, succeeded in creating a vibrant atmosphere during the session. The audience actively engaged by sharing comments, perspectives, and experiences from their respective countries.
Although the conference was attended by participants from 18 countries, there were only a handful of Indonesians present. However, the participants were not limited to South and Southeast Asian nations; scholars from Europe and America with an interest in the region also took part in this conference, which has been held since 2005.
SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals)
Coordinator: Moch. Zainul Arifin