tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-285314912012-01-20T13:45:44.560+07:00Inaya RakhmaniInaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.comBlogger2291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-79517909973914762212011-12-11T11:35:00.004+07:002011-12-11T12:52:19.223+07:00

When I was an undergrad student, I dabbled in debating. Having little passion in competition (pardon me), I didn't really embrace the art. But I've always enjoyed following the structure of logical arguments that each debater performed. Although I personally think that it is more relevant to build a mentality of discussing and opening minds rather than the concept of winning and losing that is

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-40304511498133495192011-11-14T11:08:00.000+07:002011-11-14T11:10:55.508+07:00

"Sekarang ini 90 persen publikasi dalam jurnal akademis tentang Indonesia ditulis bukan oleh orang yang tinggal di Indonesia. Hal ini, menurut Indonesianis Anthony Reid, menjadikan Indonesia negara yang paling tidak efektif menceritakan dirinya sendiri kepada dunia. Satu ironi yang perlu diubah." (Tempo, 14-20 November 2011)This week's Tempo was exceptional for me. The magazine mapped out

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-75443290801642797272011-10-19T22:02:00.005+07:002011-10-22T10:22:38.242+07:00

Once again, as part of my PhD thesis, I travel to another part of Indonesia: Jayapura, Papua. After completing data collection at SMAN 4 Jayapura, the vice principal asked me to fill in one of the ‘affirmative classes’ (i.e. classes designed for indigenous Papuans, funded by the local government under the special autonomy law). I had expected them to be particularly intelligent, being students of

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-14236844569981981562011-10-03T10:36:00.002+07:002011-10-03T10:59:00.309+07:00

Note: Article published at Inside Indonesia. Unfortunately it doesn't include the recent FPI-SCTV debacle. More reading here.A recent film supporting religious pluralism stirs public debateInaya RakhmaniIn April 2011, thousands of Indonesian film-goers flocked to director Hanung Bramantyo’s latest film with the intriguing title of ‘?’ (Question Mark – in Indonesian, Tanda Tanya). Hanung has had

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-32220295714780692432011-09-10T11:06:00.009+07:002011-09-10T13:41:50.507+07:00

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } After built up curiousity, I spent the morning watching the newly launched Kompas TV. Although the station's broadcasting permit is still in question, it has begun airing since Friday, 9 September 2011. The

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-17258485055622365542011-08-25T11:43:00.004+07:002011-08-25T12:26:25.179+07:00

Yesterday evening, I finally had the chance to see Stand Up Comedy Indonesia. Like other 'anything new' in Jakarta, it is quickly becoming a burgeoning scene where those in their twenties and thirties flock to be part of the trend. Or so I had thought. A few years back while I was writing a paper, I came across journal articles on humour studies. Before you throw an encyclopedia at my head for

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-481220375089820092011-08-24T10:01:00.003+07:002011-08-24T14:44:26.811+07:00

For the last phase of my PhD data collection, I travel around the country (Denpasar, Banda Aceh, Jayapura, Makassar, Jayapura, Banjarmasin, and, err, Jakarta) to explore the dynamics between Islam, national identity, and television culture among young Indonesians. I have completed my Denpasar and Banda Aceh visits and, as usual, what I've learned so far - although far from finished - has made

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-60671264609901723432011-07-31T19:50:00.001+07:002011-07-31T19:52:52.767+07:00

By Pankaj MishraA few summers ago, I traveled to the central Swedish uplands for a conference. On the face of it, the subject “What Is the West?” seemed promising. What, indeed, was the West in the age of intensified globalization and mass immigration?“Multiculturalism,” variously defined, had been under attack by centrist politicians trying to outflank extreme-right-wing parties across

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-79025490338407156522011-07-24T19:37:00.005+07:002011-07-26T09:17:20.652+07:00

"Before we can study the central issues of life today, we must destroy the prejudices and fallacies born of previous centuries."Leo TolstoyAnd here is my effort.Staying at a resort budding with tourists on their holidays, my son Malik and I were waiting in a crowded lobby for the elevator to reach our floor. To kill boredom, we counted the floor numbers appearing above its doors. I guess it was

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-58449108807461573632011-07-05T10:36:00.002+07:002011-07-05T11:02:31.773+07:00

"If I said in November last year that in seven months all Arab dictators will be overthrown or in the process to be, you would think I'm out of my mind. If I said in 1989 that communism will crumble in Moscow, you would think I'm crazy."George Galloway on advocating for an Israeli-Palestinian nation state;where both could coexist peacefully and be equal in the eyes of the lawTempo July 2011 (

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-30558119451480714402011-06-20T10:25:00.013+07:002011-06-25T10:19:33.708+07:00

Note: The post was rewritten into an article (in Bahasa Indonesia) and published at Madina Online, entitled 'Ekspresi Keberagamaan, Olahraga, dan Ruang Publik'.'Does a space need to be devoid of all religious expression in order to be 'public'?' Paraphrased from Bryson and OuachtoukiThis morning, I read a feature article in the newest Tempo Magazine on how sports regulation has made it difficult

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-43511004420331909782011-05-20T10:19:00.004+07:002011-05-20T11:06:53.909+07:00

I found the article on the (In)compatibility of Human Rights and the Islamic Doctrine by Matthew Machowski conscientiously written and enlightening. My criticism towards the article is that, like the contemporary discourse on Islam, it is Middle Eastern centric. To be fair, the writer's research focus is on the Middle East, North Africa and Europe (like most scholars, journalists and commentators

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-77808769156176609952011-05-16T08:11:00.004+07:002011-05-16T13:42:41.973+07:00

News on the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) has received much media attention in the past few months. My general observation on the Indonesian (liberal, commercial) press in particular have shown an effort of moderating such a threat to the nation state. I've read various headlines on how Indonesia's largest and moderate muslim organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, reinforce that they

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-47004013214163301982011-04-12T08:07:00.007+07:002011-04-17T22:48:46.127+07:00

"The word 'to tolerate' is about power. By saying 'I tolerate you', you show of having a higher position than others."*Philip Kitley, via Endah TriastutiAn article on Hanung Bramantyo's newest film ?, which portrays religious tolerance and conflict in Indonesia, provides an interesting insight on the debate that surrounds the issue. I followed several conflicting views expressed on social and

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-59516665126426052262011-04-01T11:42:00.004+07:002011-04-01T11:49:27.731+07:00

Here is a presentation on the revolution in Egypt and the role of social media by Merlyna Lim. I highly recommend anyone who is interested and/or professionally involved in the discourse of (Middle-Eastern) revolution and social media to read in thoroughly. And below are my thoughts on her ideas:Dear Teh Mer, I’m inclined to agree with your assertion (Network, Narratives, Claim-Making). I’ve

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-18276464251635158652011-03-24T19:31:00.003+07:002011-03-24T20:08:02.118+07:00

I did an amateur survey on Twitter.In terms of friendship, if you had to choose, would you seek for kindred spirits or those who are able to give different perspectives?Replies varied. Some argued that friendships need common ground and mutual field of experiences. Other argued that in seeking for solutions, you would need rational arguments - preferably ones you haven't thought of so that you

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-89877560708700262252011-03-19T11:25:00.005+07:002011-03-19T11:55:45.813+07:00

The nerd herd, to which I am a permanent member, see intellectuals as rock stars (we are indeed a very sad bunch). Some are in awe of their brilliant arguments and avant garde philosophical thoughts. I, on the other hand, have a soft spot on how some of my favourite academics have the mentality of a 'life-long learner'. Their diction, stance, and remarkable consideration of various oppositional

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-92175098935530806292011-03-18T19:38:00.003+07:002011-03-18T19:52:58.580+07:00

How much does your life weigh?Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life. You start with the little things: the shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV.The backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. You go bigger. Your couch, your

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-55578438911170309142011-03-15T07:58:00.004+07:002011-03-15T10:48:06.826+07:00

I have a dear friend who openly uses derogatory terms to refer to people and/or social groups who violate human rights and/or disturb public order. He said these people deserve it and that no other term could suit them better. Although I do agree that some people are menace to society, I still disagreed with the means. My argument was that it induces more hatred and the domino effect continues.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-67107820931496028802011-03-12T10:05:00.005+07:002011-03-12T10:31:37.287+07:00

This was such a good read I felt the unbearable need to write. And this particular paragraph made me both laugh and think at the same time (in that particular order):Our supposed great heroes in movies always seem to walk off into the sunset at the end. In a discussion on men, Richard Rohr humorously asks, "Where the hell are these guys going?". Somehow it looks cool as they do their thing

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-44592001632448576692011-03-10T19:45:00.003+07:002011-03-10T20:01:18.248+07:00

Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn.Haruki MurakamiPart of life is not knowing. That endless doubt that follows us around like a stray cat, no matter how sure we are of our choices -

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-14397527456619587352011-03-09T20:08:00.003+07:002011-03-09T20:10:45.966+07:00

By Dr. Muhamad Ali Globalization has made the world of Islam more heterogeneous than homogeneous. It continues to shape Islam identities and moralities, imagined or real, at both global and local levels. What is conceptually homogenous is Islam itself, but what it means differs. Globalization in its broadest sense is not new, and early Islam normatively preached trans-racial, trans-ethnic

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-78731986158797652092011-03-08T19:17:00.004+07:002011-03-08T19:35:39.545+07:00

I have always known that I loved teaching.I love seeing the spark in the students' eyes when they've figured out something new. I love not being able to answer tough questions, which makes me read more. I love the interaction, the generation of ideas, the challenge.I don't even care how cheeky I sound.Today was just one of those days where I was reminded of that passion. Seeing them openly

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-92136018736124811492011-03-06T10:16:00.004+07:002011-03-06T11:03:52.840+07:00

I was reading a book on Ancient Egypt to my son (I swear he chose the book) when a friendly sentence caught my attention. Paraphrasing:We call the Egyptians ancient because they lived as a society since 8000 years ago. They were good farmers, established complex court systems and was led by Pharaohs. Can you imagine what people 5000 years from now would say about the way we live today?Last night

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-52336023921744579372011-03-04T13:05:00.001+07:002011-03-04T13:05:23.000+07:00

The loudest of noise is the one in our heads.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-52876432408867216022011-03-03T19:49:00.001+07:002011-03-03T19:55:52.460+07:00

The best way out is always through.Robert Frost

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-59664858535649275212011-03-02T13:46:00.003+07:002011-03-02T13:54:39.313+07:00

This semester I'm teaching one of my favourite classes: Critical Analysis on Indonesian Mass Media. We were talking about Frankfurt School's Erich Fromm and his idea on 'to have or to be'. We talked about how in a capitalistic society, we have a tendency, that we are built, to possess. That in purchasing things, consuming things, we have no other notion than to possess everything else in life.It

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-83767792797444579682010-12-23T09:28:00.002+07:002010-12-23T09:43:26.744+07:00

Approaching their last semester, I frequently hear students questioning themselves 'What they are going to do for a living', 'Who they are going to be', and 'What they will do'. As much as I think strategising and planning for the future is very important, I can't help but wonder about what makes me content.It is not in ensuring financial security or getting a permanent position.It is not in

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-29031675873991926242010-11-25T14:15:00.003+07:002010-11-25T14:31:23.571+07:00

I vividly remember how my brain hurt while I was writing my thesis, how I felt that I have reached my limits and that this is the best that I can do - no more. How after surpassing that, I realised that things made much more sense afterwards. Somewhere along the process I actually understood, and now looking back I know I can write a 100-150 page research on another topic.And yet we arrive to the

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-90299692352476365742010-11-23T15:50:00.003+07:002010-11-23T15:56:15.071+07:00

Had a session this morning with my supervisors. Currently comparing different interpretations of (if not only different because their multidisciplinary nature - that is what I have to find out) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and select three methods to identify said discourse in three different, yet interrelating, units of analysis.Cry.I'm strongly suspicious that I have overestimated my brain

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-28921934449972315172010-11-21T09:33:00.004+07:002010-11-21T09:57:23.653+07:00

The philosopher Erich Fromm, he forecast a society that was obsessed with possessions. He believed that human beings had two basic orientations: having and being. Now, a person with a having orientation seeks to acquire and possess things, property, even people.But a person with a being orientation focuses on the experience. They derive meaning from exchanging, engaging and sharing with other

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-6868516573487887302010-10-23T08:54:00.006+07:002010-10-23T09:46:55.254+07:00

Too often do I read in the newspaper sentences like 'we have to uphold freedom of the press' or 'this is our right to freedom of expression'. Very masculine, demanding, active sentences.Freedom of the press is an idea that relates to the media's function as the fourth pillar of democracy. You have legislative, judicative, and executive functions of the government, and the last you have a healthy

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-36921777947421775092010-10-07T10:02:00.003+07:002010-10-07T10:10:10.433+07:00

One of the reasons why I feel more comfortable asking what students think of a social issue than I do asking public figures is because the latter have a tendency to try and convince others to agree with their ideas. While the former are in a state of mentality of constant learning*. Some people find their peace of mind from finding definitive answers. I find my peace of mind from knowing that

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-75516502105145205622010-10-06T16:59:00.003+07:002010-10-06T18:00:21.962+07:00

Dear bloggers, Your participation in a survey on blogging as part of a research conducted by a dear friend of mine will be really appreciated. Please click. With many thanks,Inaya

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-44030536617617549092010-10-02T10:21:00.003+07:002010-10-02T10:45:34.464+07:00

In an ideal world, everything is reciprocal. A kind act is returned with another kind act. Even better, the receiving end decides to pay it forward to another. And the process goes on and on and on. And in contrast, an offensive act is not returned. So then the cycle stops, because no one paid it forward. It wasn't even returned in the first place. Lately I've been faced with the stark reality

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-91194634355372929942010-09-30T10:51:00.003+07:002010-09-30T10:53:58.771+07:00

I rarely talk about random moments, so here's one. I was sitting with several students at the library for a research meeting. I was telling them about arriving at the campus trying to find a place to park, and the security told me students can't park in the space for lecturers. I: Antara tersinggung atau tersanjung. V: Tapi emang Mbak ngga kaya dosen muda sih, tapi kaya mahasiswa tua. Err...

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-51348173883979176992010-09-29T13:45:00.000+07:002010-09-29T13:46:24.658+07:00

Fostering a dialogue or 'the exchange of ideas'can only be successful if all parties would listen. The louder we speak, the quieter other people become. Perhaps even making them find other ways to be heard - in some cases, with their hands.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-90077755694073230622010-09-23T17:36:00.000+07:002010-09-23T17:38:00.188+07:00

We should learn more of the things we dislike. With knowledge, we might not dislike it so much. Or, we'd have a stronger argument for it.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-35230087941797972802010-09-23T17:07:00.005+07:002010-09-23T17:11:08.446+07:00

Prejudism and bigotry are traits of the socially immobile. Travel. If not physically, virtually.Exposing ourselves to differencepushes us to realisethat the world is too complexfor us to fully understand.And thus making us accept the fact thatit is impossible to claim that our understanding of itis the rightest.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-39306398762226720232010-09-23T17:06:00.002+07:002010-09-23T17:07:11.844+07:00

Even more than logical thinking and knowledge,I think the main prerequisite to a civil human beingis empathy.If you can understand someone else's painyou wouldn't inflict any more.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-37244010794426017902010-09-16T18:19:00.002+07:002010-09-16T18:46:11.865+07:00

When I say and do things, I almost never think of how it should influence people or how it would leave an impression. I say and do things because I mean it. And most of the time, I (try to) mean well. It's in how I lecture, in what I read, what I think, say and how I say it, in my choice of past time, and eventually, overflows in what I write.The 'sporadic' and 'nonstrategic'-ness of what I do is

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-3741078180307651072010-09-03T20:40:00.004+07:002010-09-03T20:57:29.889+07:00

During Malik's first year, I went through the conflict of being a working mother. The guilt trips, the missed meetings, the inability to bring myself to the present task at hand because my sense of motherhood overpowered anything else. In his second year, I learned to juggle. When it's time to write my thesis, I write my thesis. When it's time to read Malik a book before bed, I do just that. I

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-29892394874454992322010-08-14T12:27:00.010+07:002011-03-08T16:46:27.508+07:00

I've been reading about Salafism and Wahabism, the two allegedly fundamental Islamic school of thoughts. And although I have the need to mention now I feel more ignorant than before I began reading about it, I did find some interesting things.Firstly, according to several sources, the term 'Wahabi', which is now popularly used derogatorily to refer to Islamist militant groups, came from the 'West

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-29825849519372527772010-08-08T09:19:00.008+07:002010-08-08T10:01:27.197+07:00

As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality Albert EinsteinI was watching Arya make basketball shots using Malik's toy ring when I concentrated on the momentum of shooting. There are several deterministic variables that decide whether or not the ball goes through the ring; distance, the pressure of throwing

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-21902255172264396822010-08-07T14:43:00.002+07:002010-08-07T14:48:38.311+07:00

When the pawn hits the conflicts He thinks like a King What he knows throws the blows When he goes to the fight And he'll win the whole thing Fore he enters the ring There's nobody to batter When your mind is your might So when you go solo, you hold your own hand And remember that depth Is the greatest of heights And if you know where you stand, then you'll know where to land And if you fall it

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-17652108178568909772010-08-06T12:44:00.002+07:002010-08-06T12:50:57.465+07:00

Inaya,I have just finished reading your Ch 2. I think you are making excellent progress! This is a much more comprehensive version that your earlier draft.I will scan the mss with my handwritten comments & send it to you within the next couple of days as a series of attachments to emails.regards,David***And so it continues. Drafting chapter 3...

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-6639716386303778932010-07-29T07:56:00.007+07:002010-07-29T09:36:36.144+07:00

'Dragons are fantasy. If there's magical talismans or a magic sword or wizards or loving crazy not-real animals... all these basic things that break laws of reality: that poo poo's all fantasy. I'm into hard sci-fi.' Roman Debeers, Party DownThis morning I read about an Indonesian scholar arguing that the pursuit of civilisation begins from the smallest things. God is in the detail and that by

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-5709287245988032012010-07-26T18:30:00.001+07:002010-07-26T18:30:55.865+07:00

Persuasion is only as powerful as our willingness to be influenced by it.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-15429945751538635282010-07-25T14:55:00.003+07:002010-07-25T15:16:00.542+07:00

Lately I've been confronted by individuals with dominant personalities. They are lecturers who could say 'This is trash' to a student in the middle of their defence, who acquires their air of authority if they've succeeded in proving they are intellectually superior to students. At first I, in all my lame attempt to avoid being self-righteous, gave them the benefit of the doubt. But after

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-36758461622981966622010-07-25T14:46:00.000+07:002010-07-25T14:47:48.635+07:00

Nobody is courageous all the time. The unknown is a constant challenge, and being afraid is part of the journey. via Endah Triastuti

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-4151555028280816412010-07-25T09:15:00.003+07:002010-07-25T09:29:57.627+07:00

Yesterday a former student of mine said an interesting thing;Indonesia sudah merdeka, tapi belum mandiri. 'Independence' should not (only) refer to freedom but to an independent mindset. A sound, concise review of our current condition: unfocused and frantic. But alas, I am still hopeful. In Komarudin Hidayat's words: '-merindukan Indonesia sejahtera dan bermartabat.'

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-35824688829430083972010-07-17T16:36:00.000+07:002010-07-17T16:39:17.657+07:00

A culture that respects weddings more than commitment, births more than parenting, and deaths more than life - is not mine.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-20833194481681309962010-07-09T14:23:00.004+07:002010-07-18T10:22:01.315+07:00

BeforeLast time I was traveling, I was so tired I missed my flight. I ended up buying a new ticket. Now, arriving on time, dumb luck brought me to being checked in to first class. And now my first experience of flying executive. Udik is an understatement. But I can't help but sense the irony between both events. And that somewhere, someone up there is snickering softly at the light jokes.Homeward

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-40914445618967462802010-06-28T10:12:00.002+07:002010-06-28T10:41:48.560+07:00

As I am preparing for my third trip without Malik this year, I realise that it hasn't grown any easier. I feel anxious leaving him, as I did the first time. As a mother of a toddler, it's very difficult (if not impossible) to completely detach. To fully embrace the fact that we will be physically inaccessible to him. But I do realise I manage better than I did the first time. I know that this is

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-31756324759964319822010-06-25T10:25:00.004+07:002010-06-25T12:08:35.479+07:00

Recently, a public figure told me that he thinks I have the potential to become a leader but I lack the self-confidence to take the role. He advised me to learn to believe in myself more and take charge. I don't fully agree with him, but I do think his opinion is valid in one way.I do think I lack self-confidence, more in lack of self-assurance. But I embrace it as part of who I am, I don't see

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-10534380329539959162010-06-21T16:38:00.001+07:002010-06-21T16:41:00.981+07:00

Sometimes, great expectation is met with great disappointment. That's life. Move on to the next round.Having said that,I think our characters are defined more by our failures than by our successes. The point is, after all, to keep trying.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-43426678510709969172010-06-21T16:37:00.001+07:002010-06-21T16:37:56.943+07:00

If you want to disagree with something, it's very important to understand it first. Or else it's called fundamentalism.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-10755260612326452492010-06-18T10:40:00.003+07:002010-06-18T11:15:04.519+07:00

Around several weeks ago, I began to grow really disappointed in the public figures I thought had the opportunity to bring progress to the democratic and developmental change in Indonesia. Several became more fundamental, shooting down all views they perceive opposing theirs. Several became politically interested, leaving the ideals they fought for when they were young and aspiring leaders and

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-9903091107405161792010-06-14T08:57:00.008+07:002010-06-14T09:48:39.862+07:00

Yesterday I read an article on gender and social change in the past 10 years, there is a new trend initiated by the now 30 to 40 year olds. Researches show that women lead the global workforce. Findings suggest it's not because women are superior to men, but because patriarchy has limited the male's choice to a career line. Women adjust more to the demands of the industry, while men feel certain

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-79464955122387270982010-06-12T09:20:00.003+07:002010-06-12T09:27:21.988+07:00

Yesterday night, I dreamed I was boarding my flight back to Aussie, when I realised I left my winter jacket and glasses at home. I asked the pilot if he would wait for my husband to bring it over and he said he would.My subconscious is not very creative in cooking up metaphors. Even in my sleep I see Arya as my support system. Even in my sleep I see that I need protection against the 'foreign',

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-41083122693516076742010-06-10T11:00:00.003+07:002010-06-10T11:18:39.968+07:00

Sometimes my over-analysing and theorising seeps into my personal life. In the middle of browsing for Malik's school, I research who owns it and what their ideologies are (political economy) since in invariably influences their policy making, curriculum, selecting their human resources. Our children's education should be an extension of how we raise them, I think. Consistent to the values we

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-51096153006616982322010-06-07T21:45:00.005+07:002010-06-07T22:04:21.632+07:00

After staring at my screen for an hour trying to write a critical article for a media (a long process of typing tentatively, deleting, typing tentatively some more, deleting some more as well), I decided that, at least for now, I am only capable of two types of writing. The first is what I call 'menulis tulus' (this inner dialogue I call my blog). I write without thinking. Freely, passionately.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-72349355738552454872010-06-06T10:59:00.004+07:002010-06-06T11:34:25.771+07:00

I was talking to my brother yesterday evening about some of his lecturers who grade based on comprehension over the text, not about what the students can do with what they've learned. Then we talked about how several lecturers, mine included, who refuse to be corrected, challenged, and questioned in class. They would be defensive and even flunk the student out of spite. As a lecturer and

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-5509114166918007422010-06-04T08:21:00.000+07:002010-06-04T08:22:27.015+07:00

Bebas nilai bukan tidak memiliki nilai. Tapi tidak menghakimi yang berbeda nilai.Amal C. Sjaaf

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-90522985169960835782010-05-29T17:11:00.005+07:002010-05-29T17:27:08.307+07:00

Inaya, This is an excellent first chapter draft. You have written with a clear structure in mind and explained well how the thesis will develop from this period. I have made some specific comments upon your manuscript where I have found parts unclear or in need of further work. But in general I think you should now put this to one side for the moment so you can continue to work on drafting later

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-35322986408545461952010-05-23T19:32:00.000+07:002010-05-23T19:34:59.819+07:00

Looking up makes us try harder. Looking down makes us think of the things worth trying for.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-50684327058343620522010-05-20T20:44:00.007+07:002010-05-20T20:58:22.101+07:00

Recently, there was a moment where upon admitting not knowing something, I was laughed at. Finally, you don't know something, the person said.But funnily though, I felt not an ounce of shame. I honestly wanted to know. I honestly accepted that I know little and I am here to learn. I don't think there's any shame in learning. I'm more afraid of not asking questions than I am of looking stupid.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-16744377608264889712010-05-16T21:47:00.001+07:002010-05-16T21:49:18.041+07:00

Too much change is not good. Just ask the climate.Michael Scott (The Office)

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-52392700645722433172010-05-16T21:34:00.001+07:002010-05-16T21:38:09.097+07:00

Intelligence shouldn't intimidate, it should inspire. If it is intimidating, maybe it's the wrong kind.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-40256775979472448072010-05-16T21:33:00.002+07:002010-05-16T21:34:05.395+07:00

You don't have to be rich to be arrogantand you don't have to be poor to recognise suffering

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-57977094011291614572010-05-16T21:11:00.001+07:002010-05-16T21:11:50.035+07:00

In disagreements, it's not about who speaks the loudest, it's about who makes the most sense

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-34526845678338635052010-05-16T21:09:00.000+07:002010-05-16T21:10:22.994+07:00

And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made Simon and Garfunkel (Sound of Silence)

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-43583595892259954392010-05-16T21:06:00.002+07:002010-05-16T21:06:55.441+07:00

I think the best of leaders are actually those who stay in the background and let other people grow to their potentials.Because their ideas live oneven after they seize to exist.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-40797802871489172142010-05-16T21:04:00.001+07:002010-05-16T21:04:56.263+07:00

Hak berbanding lurus dengan kewajiban. Not one or the other. A balance of both.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-47587535639838854532010-05-16T21:03:00.000+07:002010-05-16T21:04:05.255+07:00

I think conflict comes from ignorance, not difference. Be informed on things u disagree with the most.Google is a start.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-24908400499860955902010-05-16T21:02:00.000+07:002010-05-16T21:03:26.885+07:00

The more I read the more I realise I know nothing

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-4952492729145922122010-05-16T21:01:00.000+07:002010-05-16T21:02:08.421+07:00

Every good idea begins with the basic statement,'That's interesting.'

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-9885384086661629992010-05-16T21:00:00.000+07:002010-05-16T21:01:08.750+07:00

So what I hear when I'm being yelled at is people caring loudly at me Leslie Knope (Parks & Recreation)

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-81276374848279934682010-05-16T20:57:00.000+07:002010-05-16T20:58:26.546+07:00

If you can't stop desiring the things you can't get, pause and imagine if you lose the things you already have. Happiness is a state of mind.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-18462910891117580582010-05-16T20:19:00.001+07:002010-05-16T20:19:45.667+07:00

I think studying is not synonymous to learning: studying needs head, learning needs heart

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-4978704755229856882010-05-16T10:15:00.002+07:002010-05-16T20:20:52.273+07:00

Age has little to do with maturity. Maturity involves the will to admit mistakes & learn. I know more children better in that than adults.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-567729927683169092010-05-14T09:09:00.006+07:002010-05-14T10:06:07.176+07:00

Throughout early adulthood (well okay, until very recently), I dubbed myself as a non judgemental individual. Whenever conflicting ideas arise, I usually observe and come to my own conclusions silently. Rarely do I speak up unless requested and I often begin my argument with 'Well, for me-'. I was indeed reserved to the idea of judgementality because I had assumed that it included an air of '

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-6248462489767310192010-05-12T20:00:00.003+07:002010-05-16T20:23:34.115+07:00

There is a fine line between 'giving up' and 'letting go': It's called 'things you can(t) control'.

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-44856565834576187972010-05-11T14:39:00.004+07:002011-05-20T11:00:23.302+07:00

I spent the day reading about history and the modern world. I found out that 62% of the world's Muslims are Asian. Yet what is perceived as Islam by the world are those of Arabic culture.We are under-represented, if not misrepresented.Another thing I learned is the underlying difference between Sunni and Shia: Sunni believes in the Sunnah and Shia believes in the rightful figure of Muhammad's

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-59566800915528998212010-05-09T20:43:00.004+07:002010-05-09T21:04:01.324+07:00

I wish I could express myself in writing in Bahasa Indonesia as fast as I can write in English. I am not a native English speaker and I am Indonesian. My thesis is about Indonesia. And yet, when it comes to expressing myself, I do it faster in English. Words pour out of me. I do not stutter in finding the right word as I do in Indonesian (Embrace? Merengkuh? Memeluk? Carry? Bopong? Gendong?). I

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-64051679083492519852010-05-08T10:29:00.007+07:002010-05-08T11:23:36.361+07:00

Our life always expresses the result of dominant thoughts. That's why people demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Soren Kierkegaardvia Dedy N. HidayatOne of the things I agree with Kierkegaard is his idea that truth is in subjectivity. He also admits that this attempt is not scientific. That truth is not objective. I read truth as a

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-76764901895173888772010-05-04T16:06:00.005+07:002010-05-16T20:24:32.106+07:00

You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.Dale Carnegievia Muhammad Andri Mulia

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-57859922937282314842010-05-04T09:42:00.008+07:002010-05-04T20:22:28.593+07:00

There was a period in my life where I was a horrible student. All through my high school to the first years of university. I was the student sitting in the back of the class, reading another book that had nothing to do with the subject. The one who skipped a period pretending to have an ulcer, because I didn't like the teacher (and the subject). The one whose single achievement was winning the

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-88542043968801132722010-04-20T21:27:00.001+07:002010-05-16T20:27:02.567+07:00

I am not afraid of deathI just don't want to be there when it happensWoody Allen

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-34073205292011207432010-04-16T17:30:00.006+07:002010-04-16T18:07:01.805+07:00

I've been reading book reviews for my thesis and it turns out, bullies are not reserved for the academically challenged, as psychologists suggest. In the academic field, there are also intellectual bullies. Man, they are scary.It turns out, in some cases, the more you know doesn't necessarily correlate with the better you are at rearranging your wording so that the delivery of criticism occurs in

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-74304771510963070572010-04-12T07:41:00.004+07:002010-04-16T17:24:56.029+07:00

A short thought before starting my thesis editing for the day and afterwards lecturing. Yesterday afternoon, I (un)intentionally browsed through a child development website (a US one, mind you) to see the milestones of an 18-24 month old toddler. The table contained the statistics of the skills a child of a certain age should have learned. And I studied them, compared them to Malik's - to no

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-67682900868951909352010-04-10T21:00:00.003+07:002010-05-16T20:25:10.360+07:00

To empower people who are on the margins of societypeople who have a little say in the direction of their lives and who are scrambling just to survive Stuart Hallvia Rinaldi Ridwan

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-8688459958603761602010-04-10T12:13:00.001+07:002010-04-10T20:15:42.764+07:00

As media scholars, in appreciating cultural artifacts, such as literature and film, we are taught to appraise them contextually. For instance, appreciating Usmar Ismail's films, which includes ideas of modernisation and postcolonialism, you need to understand the historical context and his progressive use of film as a social communication tool.In appreciating art form, one needs to take into

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-30214230857261595962010-04-09T09:31:00.004+07:002010-04-09T09:44:50.896+07:00

With Malik growing up in a very fast rate (faster than any parent's preference, really), lately I have been wondering about how we are going to raise him after his toddler years. I reflect this decision by observing some of my students and I must say, it's very difficult to do a cost and benefit assessment when the person taking in the consequences is not yourself, but a person you hope to better

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-35714759480501565762010-04-08T20:56:00.003+07:002010-04-08T21:13:16.487+07:00

I've installed Google Analytics recently and I am astounded by the numbers coming in on the amount of people visiting my blog, the amount of time you take to read it and the amount of pages you click (don't worry, you appear anonymous). I am intensely curious as to why. I understand why people within my primary environment would be interested. But map overlay shows readers are scattered,

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-65958720152484802612010-04-07T21:37:00.003+07:002010-05-16T20:26:24.563+07:00

I'm not confused. I'm just well mixed. Robert Frost

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-30823934617962547472010-04-05T21:35:00.007+07:002011-03-18T20:55:01.635+07:00

When I was still dating Arya, I remember talking to him about why I think certain relationships work and some don't. I have had my string of trials and errors, and although some of them are good people I couldn't bring myself to the 'I do' stage of a relationship.I had a theory (or more accurately, a proposition). That inter personal compatibility could be explained by the pyramid below (click

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-17526867356796202812010-04-05T11:11:00.003+07:002010-05-16T20:32:21.175+07:00

When in doubt, Google it

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28531491.post-5163821959005860442010-04-05T09:42:00.002+07:002010-04-05T09:54:15.772+07:00

Similar to political economy, this approach examines how media ownership determines the exercise of power play, within its structure and representation of reality (ideological hegemony), impacting social relations and cultural perspective in society. A step further beyond political economy, critical political economy emphasises on ideological analysis of the audience's reading towards the reality

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One of my favourite students asked me one day: What drives you in life?My answer was an incoherent ramble. So now I have more time to think to structure my thoughts (at this moment I think I explain myself better through writing than verbally). I think what drives us in life changes through periods. I tend to reevaluate myself from time to time, particularly upon those moments where something, be

Inaya Rakhmanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03970983737636872692noreply@blogger.com0