Reframing Post-Colonial Reconciliation Through Literary Fiction, Senior History Professor Prof. Jajang Jahroni Publishes Debut Historical Novel

CIPUTAT, UIN Online News – Bridging the gap between rigorous academic historiography and humanizing storytelling, Senior History Professor at the Faculty of Letters and Humanities (FAH) UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Professor Jajang Jahroni, Ph.D., has officially published his debut novel titled Secangkir Kopi Terakhir Ayah (Father’s Last Cup of Coffee). Published by SIGMA, the historical fiction explores themes of identity, post-colonial reconciliation, and personal sacrifice set against the cultural landscape of Banten, West Java.

Built upon a dual-timeline narrative framework, the novel follows an Indo-Dutch parliamentarian traveling to remote Banten in the summer of 1991 to uncover the hidden past of his estranged father, Kartiwa—a former independence fighter who lived in secluded isolation.

Professor Jahroni, a Leiden University alumnus and Boston University doctorate holder who has spent decades publishing academic monographs on Islamic studies and history, described the novel as the realization of a lifelong literary ambition inspired by Indonesian literary giants like Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Ahmad Tohari, and Kuntowijoyo.

"Historical research naturally dominated my academic career, but my passion for storytelling never faded," Professor Jahroni reflected. "Through literature, we can present history with a more human face. I hope this novel serves as a bridge for readers to forgive the past, reconnect with their cultural roots, and understand that history is fundamentally about human lives, families, and hope."

Beyond its central emotional conflict, the novel serves as an authentic cultural repository of Banten heritage, weaving traditional coffee rituals, indigenous martial arts (silat), agrarian lifestyle, and local folklore into the overarching plot.

The publication marks the first installment of a planned historical fiction trilogy by Professor Jahroni, demonstrating that academic scholars can meaningfully contribute to national cultural memory through both peer-reviewed research and transformative creative literature.

(Zaenal/Arifin)