MSKI Program FAH UIN Jakarta Holds International Seminar on 'Post-Orientalist' Studies of Indonesian Islamic History
FAH Building, UIN News - The Master's Program in History and Islamic Civilization (MSKI) at the Faculty of Adab and Humanities (FAH) UIN Jakarta hosted an international seminar titled ‘A Post-Orientalist Study of Indonesian Islamic History’ on Wednesday (17/07/2024).
The seminar was attended by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Prof. Ali Munhanif, MA., Ph.D., the Dean of the Faculty of Adab and Humanities (FAH) UIN Jakarta, Dr. Ade Abdul Hak, S.Ag., S.S., M.Hum., CIQnR., the Head of MSKI program UIN Jakarta, Prof. Dr. Jajat Burhanuddin, MA., along with several lecturers and students from the MSKI UIN Jakarta.
This international seminar was conducted both on-site at FAH UIN Jakarta and online via Zoom Meeting. The event featured Muhammad Ali, Ph.D., a professor from the University of California, Riverside, as the keynote speaker.
Orientalism often views the East as a monolithic and backward entity, necessitating a more open and reflective approach to understand and appreciate the diversity and complexity of Eastern cultures.
The 'post-orientalist' approach emphasizes the importance of developing theories based on the unique and specific characteristics of each culture. This involves efforts to understand and explain our own concepts and cultures, which can complement or even improve perspectives on the East and West.
"Orientalism cannot be entirely accepted as there are inaccuracies," said Muhammad Ali
According to Muhammad Ali, by exploring local uniqueness, historians can create a more balanced perspective between Eastern and Western cultures. This helps enrich dialogue and contribute to global studies and worldviews.
'Post-orientalism' emphasizes interest and love for Indonesian studies without prioritizing dominance. This approach promotes modernity in Islamic research through collaboration among researchers to improve and enrich historical studies concretely. Thus, this approach encourages deeper dialogue and balanced appreciation, expanding the understanding of Indonesia's cultural and Islamic historical heritage.
Muhammad Ali hopes that historians will not be trapped in subjective assessments but will focus on understanding and historical context wisely. Right and wrong depend on individual perspectives, and the historian's task is to understand changes without being influenced by bias. (Nala Zakina Zuhaida/Fauziah M./Raihan Lail Ramadhan)