Revitalizing Borobudur Temple: Exploring the Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions Through Ruwat Rawat for National Identity?

Tomboy Tools is a company that markets tools and home-repair techniques to women, using a home party sales model. This provides an interesting case to consider how traditional gendered domains can be transcended, and how they are reshaped to allow this to happen. Drawing on participant observation and interviews with consumers, salespeople, and executives of Tomboy Tools, this paper draws on Collins' (2004) theory of interaction ritual chains to explore the microstructures and ritual dynamics of these home parties. Our analysis reveals how both new and more traditional feminine practices and scripts are idealized and reinforced within the collective effervescence that is generated through the shared ritual experience. We examine how women critically interpret the tensions and contradictions that arise in the symbolic representations that seem to support both female empowerment and traditional feminine stereotypes. This leads to varying meanings among the women with respect to the artifacts and sales rituals presented, for their implications on gender identity and politics.

This study examines an arts-rich translanguaging book-making project involving nine parents from Vietnamese Australian and mixed cultural backgrounds. The initiative emerged from a collaboration between a Vietnamese language advocacy group, a community publisher, and language scholars, who facilitated workshops combining visual art, storytelling, and multilingual practices. Using translanguaging and distributed language theoretical frameworks, the research analyses data from six workshops and related events conducted during 2023–2024, drawing on participant observation, interviews, visual documentation, and artifact analysis. Through a combination of thematic analysis (Braun, V., and V. Clarke. [2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no. 2: 77–101].) and narrative analysis (Riessman, C. K. [2008. Narrative methods for the human sciences. Sage.]), the study examines both recurring patterns and the evolution of participants’ language narratives over time. The findings advance understanding of how arts-rich approaches uniquely support heritage language sustainability by creating spaces where fluid language practices are normalised and celebrated. The project demonstrates how creative, collaborative initiatives can transform deficit perspectives of ‘broken language’ into appreciation of multilingual resources while fostering positive identity development. This grassroots initiative provides foundational principles for designing multilingual educational projects that integrate artistic expression with learning about language in broader educational contexts.

This study examines the transmission and preservation methods of Sizhou Opera, a traditional folk art from Anhui Province, via the committed efforts of national intangible cultural heritage inheritor Taowan Xia. We used ethnomusicological theory and qualitative fieldwork methods, including interviews, participant observation, and visual documentation, to investigate how Taowan Xia incorporates Sizhou Opera into various cultural contexts, including schools, communities, families, and festivals. The findings indicate that her work adopts a multifaceted approach: integrating Sizhou Opera into educational curricula, utilizing digital platforms for outreach, preserving oral traditions through master-apprentice and familial instruction, and incorporating performances into social and ritual events. To present a complete strategy for preserving intangible cultural assets and give significant insights into the sustained resuscitation of regional operatic traditions within contemporary Chinese culture.

<p><b>Since the ratification of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, there has been a heightened focus on youth participation as a way of upholding young people’s right to have their say on decisions that affect them. However, programmes that attempt to engage young people in decision-making processes have often been poorly enacted and have failed to adequately address the barriers that limit young people’s ability to participate meaningfully and therefore rarely result in sustained change. This study examined processes with a youth participatory action research [YPAR] project in order to identify and explore processes and practices that might serve to sustain young people’s involvement and support authentic and meaningful participation. The research used an instrumental case study approach to examine an 18-month-long YPAR project operated through an existing youthwork programme. Data were collected through autoethnography, artefact analysis and participant interviews and reflections with youth participants. </b></p> <p>The study found that peer-to-peer and peer-to-leader relationships were foundational to youth participants’ ongoing involvement over the 18-month period. Such relationships appeared to drive much of the momentum of the action research and enable at times dynamic flows of power between youth participants and adults that encouraged an inter-generational space within the YPAR project. Young people stepped into leadership roles at different phases of the project while adult leaders managed the pace and progress of the project. The study identified five factors that helped to create this relational participatory space: reduced leader direction; valuing youth voice; openness of other participants, reworking adult-centric processes and the implementation of a variety of sharing activities. A number of factors that constrained youth voice were also identified. The study highlights how strong relationships were an integral part of the processes and practices of YPAR, rather than merely a positive outcome of participatory processes. These findings challenge traditional individualistic models of youth participation that frequently fail to acknowledge the importance of intergenerational and collective relationships within youth participatory action research projects. The study therefore calls for a heightened focus on relationship building within participatory processes both at a policy and practical level.</p>

<p><b>Since the ratification of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, there has been a heightened focus on youth participation as a way of upholding young people’s right to have their say on decisions that affect them. However, programmes that attempt to engage young people in decision-making processes have often been poorly enacted and have failed to adequately address the barriers that limit young people’s ability to participate meaningfully and therefore rarely result in sustained change. This study examined processes with a youth participatory action research [YPAR] project in order to identify and explore processes and practices that might serve to sustain young people’s involvement and support authentic and meaningful participation. The research used an instrumental case study approach to examine an 18-month-long YPAR project operated through an existing youthwork programme. Data were collected through autoethnography, artefact analysis and participant interviews and reflections with youth participants. </b></p> <p>The study found that peer-to-peer and peer-to-leader relationships were foundational to youth participants’ ongoing involvement over the 18-month period. Such relationships appeared to drive much of the momentum of the action research and enable at times dynamic flows of power between youth participants and adults that encouraged an inter-generational space within the YPAR project. Young people stepped into leadership roles at different phases of the project while adult leaders managed the pace and progress of the project. The study identified five factors that helped to create this relational participatory space: reduced leader direction; valuing youth voice; openness of other participants, reworking adult-centric processes and the implementation of a variety of sharing activities. A number of factors that constrained youth voice were also identified. The study highlights how strong relationships were an integral part of the processes and practices of YPAR, rather than merely a positive outcome of participatory processes. These findings challenge traditional individualistic models of youth participation that frequently fail to acknowledge the importance of intergenerational and collective relationships within youth participatory action research projects. The study therefore calls for a heightened focus on relationship building within participatory processes both at a policy and practical level.</p>

Political uncertainty in Indonesia will threaten domestic political stability and participation. The failure of government performance and high corruption practices are reasons for public despair. Departing from this reality, we thought of an alternative to reduce this despair through civic education in the form of a competition. This competition will be an annual agenda to prepare talented youth in East Java Province, with strong leadership and academic potential. Using the Participatory Learning and Action approach, this service took place over 5 months (November 2022-March 2023). The final results showed that; all participants showed their best performance in each session, to interpret the 4 pillars of nationality (Pancasila, 1945 Constitution, NKRI, and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika). Participants were also able to interpret the nation's problems on the issues of radicalism, nationalism, poverty, and youth through creative ideas. 12 participants won the main award and 10 participants won the best presenter award. All participants also attended a nationality camp, which was supported by the National Unity and Political Agency of Jember Regency.

This study examines strategies for building national integrity among Indonesian youth as a countermeasure against radicalism. Radicalism, defined as ideological movements seeking drastic social and political change through extreme means, poses significant threats to Indonesia's national unity. Youth, as the nation's assets and future leaders, are particularly vulnerable to radical recruitment due to their idealism and energy. National integrity encompasses qualities of wholeness, honesty, and consistency toward truth that manifest in dignified behavior. The research identifies that radical movements in Indonesia, including terrorism and separatist activities, frequently involve youth participation, making it crucial to strengthen their nationalist and patriotic values. The study proposes nine strategic approaches: (1) instilling nationalism through the four pillars of nationhood (Pancasila, 1945 Constitution, NKRI, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika); (2) developing patriotism through family, educational, and institutional environments; (3) cultivating the spirit and values of 1945 struggle; (4) implementing character education through formal, informal, and non-formal channels; (5) enhancing positive youth roles through empowerment programs; (6) educating about Indonesia's unity history; (7) forming attitudes embracing diversity; (8) exploring and implementing nationalist values; and (9) fostering brotherhood through youth organizations. This comprehensive approach aims to equip Indonesian youth with strong national identity and critical thinking to resist radical ideologies while maintaining their role as agents of positive change.

This thesis examines the processes of urban changes induced by the presence of international organisations in four African capitals. Research across Nairobi, Juba Bamako and Abidjan supports the description and analysis of the uneven territorial processes of international aid, highlighting the prominence of security discourses and practices in the development of dual cities. Following mixed research methods combining qualitative (interviews and participant observation), quantitative (social and spatial statistics), geographic data (city and neighbourhood maps) and visual documentation (observational drawings, sketches and photographs), the thesis describes the multi-scale and multi-sited production of the city by international organisations. This research highlights the construction of a transnational space of aid in urban environments of countries in distinct political and military crises. It presents a cross-scale and cross-place analysis of the transformation of African cities through the Landscape of Aid, as an iterative process of power over material and social panoramas.

The global educational landscape faces persistent challenges in effectively fostering moral character among students, particularly in religious education where traditional didactic methods often fail to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical ethical behavior. This issue is acute in Islamic education, where subjects like Akidah Akhlak struggle to translate doctrinal teachings into real-world virtues. Experiential learning, with its emphasis on active engagement and reflection, offers a promising solution. This study examines the implementation of experiential learning in Akidah Akhlak classes at MTs An-Nur Padang, Indonesia, aiming to assess its impact on character development and identify actionable strategies for Madrasah reform. Using a qualitative case study design, the research employed in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to explore how experiential learning structured around Kolb’s cycle enhances moral reasoning and behavior. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis, triangulation, and content analysis to ensure rigor. Results demonstrated significant improvements: 70% of students exhibited heightened engagement through activities like Quranic verse analysis, prophetic storytelling discussions, and collaborative problem-solving. Assessments revealed progress across cognitive (understanding ethics), affective (empathy, discipline), and psychomotor domains. However, challenges included resource limitations, uneven teacher training, and passive participation among 20% of students. The study proposes a four-phase framework for integrating experiential learning in Madrasahs, emphasizing teacher workshops, low-cost media (e.g., digital storytelling), and policy reforms to align with Indonesia’s National Education Goals (UU No. 20/2003). This research contributes to global discourse on moral pedagogy by contextualizing experiential learning in Islamic education, affirming its alignment with Prophetic teaching traditions (tarbiyah nabawiyyah), while highlighting systemic barriers in under-resourced settings.

This paper examines the (collective) performance of identities in an event context. During events, the participants not only engage in face-to-face performances, but also in the collective performances of crowds and audiences. This study analyses collective performance using Collins’ framework of Interaction Ritual Chains, which combines Goffman’s performance metaphor with Durkheim’s work on rituals and collective effervescence. This provides a more complete analysis of the ways identities are performed and (re)constructed during an event. This qualitative study presents the case of the Redhead Days, the world’s largest gathering of redheads. Visitor interviews and participant observation over four editions of the event show how a temporary majority of redheads is created, which greatly impacts both face-to-face and collective performance. Social practices that facilitate performance include photographing and storytelling. The data reveal that collective performance is inherently different from face-to-face performance, and that the combination of the two contributes to a change in narrative identities of the event attendees.

This study examines the paradox of cultural compliance and mberot (deviation/adaptation from canonical conventions) in the folk arts of bantengan , jaranan , and topeng across Greater Malang through the lens of cultural psychology. The aims are to: (1) describe forms of compliance as representations of customary law and ritual; (2) analyze mberot as innovation and as a response to modernization; (3) uncover the psychological paradoxes that shape identity, social relations, and spirituality; and (4) formulate a conceptual account of how traditional and modern values are negotiated. The reviewed methods are qualitative: ethnography, participant observation, in-depth/phenomenological interviewing, documentation, and thematic analysis verified via triangulation and member checking. Findings indicate that compliance appears as ritual discipline (prayer, offerings, canonical plot/movement, trance control) that sustains cosmological harmony and social cohesion; mberot emerges as a sustainability strategy—shortening duration, modifying choreography/materials, and stage packaging—accepted so long as it still ngemu rasa (embodies the inner aesthetic–ethical “feel”). Psychological paradoxes arise when the needs of the interdependent self (norms/togetherness) coexist with those of the independent self (autonomy/expression), producing mixtures of safety and pride alongside guilt/shame or intrapsychic conflict post-trance. Rasa/rumangsa functions as an ethical compass that sets boundaries of propriety, while collective effervescence indicates social acceptance of innovation. We propose the conceptualization of “creative compliance” to explain fidelity to the spirit of tradition through adaptive forms. Practical implications include rasa -informed curatorial standards, trance ethics protocols, and intergenerational transmission in education; future research should employ mixed methods to test the theoretical propositions.

Background: This study explores the distinctive mepasah burial practice observed by the indigenous Trunyan community in Bali, Indonesia, in which deceased bodies are neither buried nor cremated, but instead placed openly on the ground beneath the sacred Taru Menyan tree. In contrast to the widely practiced ngaben cremation ritual of Balinese Hinduism, mepasah reflects a theo-eco-cosmological worldview in which death is regarded as a sacred process of returning the human body to the cosmic order. Methods: Employing a qualitative ethnographic approach, the study draws upon participant observation, in-depth interviews with customary leaders, and analysis of customary law texts (awig-awig). Finding: Findings indicate that mepasah serves not only as a spiritual-ecological expression but also as a subtle form of resistance against the commodification and homogenization of death rituals. The sacred landscape of Sema Wayah, where corpses naturally decompose beneath the Taru Menyan tree, is interpreted as a living deathscape that preserves ancestral harmony and embodies a localized ecological ethic. Conclusion: Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of ecological spirituality and dark green religion, this study reveals mepasah as a form of sustainable mortuary practice rooted in indigenous ecological wisdom and cultural cosmology. Novelty/Originality of this article: The originality of this article lies in its application of a theo-eco-cosmological lens to the analysis of indigenous death rites. It offers a significant contribution to the fields of postmortem body anthropology, spiritual ecology, and relational ontology, while presenting mepasah as a living heritage that bridges ancestral spirituality with ecological reverence for death.

This study aims to analyze the management of Borobudur Temple in Indonesia and Angkor Wat in Cambodia as world heritage sites, focusing on a comparison between single-gate management and conservation-based approaches. The research adopts a qualitative descriptive method, involving data collection through literature review, observation, and interviews. Data analysis is conducted using the Miles and Huberman approach, which includes data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that the management of Borobudur Temple has undergone significant transformation, shifting from multi-party management to a single-gate system in 2024 under InJourney Destination Management (IDM). This approach integrates Borobudur as both a tourist destination and a place of worship for Buddhists, with challenges arising in harmonizing conservation and tourism needs. Meanwhile, Angkor Wat has been managed by the APSARA Authority since 1995, with a stronger emphasis on conservation and controlled management to maintain its appeal to tourists while prioritizing the preservation of its cultural and historical values. The study concludes that single-gate management has the potential to enhance efficiency and synergy but requires adaptive strategies to ensure conservation sustainability. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive comparison of two management models, offering valuable insights for managing other world heritage sites. The study recommends a more balanced integration of tourism, conservation needs, and local community involvement to support the advancement of social sciences and humanities, particularly in the field of cultural heritage management studies.

In both youth research and pedagogical literature, and especially in related policy arenas, the perspectives often combine normative and analytical aspects, and the concept of participation is sometimes used uncritically, legitimised by a powerful discourse in which young people are addressed as the future of society. This chapter provides theoretical and methodological perspectives that help to deconstruct the ideological lenses through which participation is continually reproduced in ways defined by powerful institutional actors, and from there reconstruct the meaning of participation starting from the perspective of the participants, especially young people. An understanding of democracy is important in studying ways of youth participation that might not be recognised as such by conventional understandings of participation. Apart from participatory observation, group discussions can give access to practical knowledge of young people by reconstructing they refer to each other and the shared meanings of their activities in public spaces. Most processes of institutionalisation of youth participation are related to youth policies.

Adolescents 360 (A360) is a four-year initiative (2016-2020) to increase 15-19-year-old girls' use of modern contraception in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The innovative A360 approach is led by human-centred design (HCD), combined with social marketing, developmental neuroscience, public health, sociocultural anthropology and youth engagement 'lenses', and aims to create context-specific, youth-driven solutions that respond to the needs of adolescent girls. The A360 external evaluation includes a process evaluation, quasi-experimental outcome evaluation, and a cost-effectiveness study. We reflect on evaluation opportunities and challenges associated with measuring the application and impact of this novel HCD-led design approach. For the process evaluation, participant observations were key to capturing the depth of the fast-paced, highly-iterative HCD process, and to understand decision-making within the design process. The evaluation team had to be flexible and align closely with the work plan of the implementers. The HCD process meant that key information such as intervention components, settings, and eligible populations were unclear and changed over outcome evaluation and cost-effectiveness protocol development. This resulted in a more time-consuming and resource-intensive study design process. As much time and resources went into the creation of a new design approach, separating one-off "creation" costs versus those costs associated with actually implementing the programme was challenging. Opportunities included the potential to inform programmatic decision-making in real-time to ensure that interventions adequately met the contextualized needs in targeted areas. Robust evaluation of interventions designed using HCD, a promising and increasingly popular approach, is warranted yet challenging. Future HCD-based initiatives should consider a phased evaluation, focusing initially on programme theory refinement and process evaluation, and then, when the intervention program details are clearer, following with outcome evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis. A phased approach would delay the availability of evaluation findings but would allow for a more appropriate and tailored evaluation design.