Dialogika Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the recently trending news of a "miracle cure" purported by self-proclaimed microbiologist, doctor, and professor Hadi Pranoto after he appeared in a video with YouTuber Anji and made these claims of cure to COVID-19. In the 30-minute interview that has now been removed by YouTube, Hadi discusses his miracle cure as the answer to the pandemic. We talk about how dangerous these kind of misleading information can be, and especially if they come from or are backed by public figures with great followings. We also talk about the recent story of Dr. Stella Immanuel, a doctor in America who herself proclaims hydroxychloroquine as the miracle cure to COVID-19, even though research has proved otherwise. President Trump's backing of her message also sends a dangerous message to his supporters and further complicates the search for a vaccine to COVID-19. We observe and analyze the lack of strong political leadership during this time of pandemic that has led to other kinds of figures taking over the space and sending their particularly misguided message across to audiences that are more than happy to find a quick answer to the difficult situation today. It is important that we keep our head straight and focus on the facts, before we readily accept any answer as the answer to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we discuss the recent verdict that sentenced two police officers to light prison terms over the acid attack on Novel Baswedan, a chief investigator in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), on April 11, 2017, closing the case on a story that has generated a lot of news over the years. We recap the acid attack itself and the context of which it happened, which was when Novel and his team were doing great work in catching high profile corruption officials, including the Setya Novanto e-KTP case. We share our thoughts and disappointment about the verdict and how, for us, it seems like the death knell to the KPK, especially after the recent law that greatly diminished the power of the independent body.

We're out this week, so we are repeating our lovely chat with Sakdiyah Ma'ruf—hope you enjoy our conversation!  ------------------------- In this episode, we have a special interview and conversation with one of Indonesia's fiercest female Muslim hijabi stand-up comedians, Sakdiyah Ma'ruf! Hailed as one of the first female Muslim comics in Indonesia (a "technicality," as she said), Sakdiyah has been doing stand-up comedy in both English and Indonesian for several years now. Her comedy touches on sensitive topics such as sexuality, Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism, and domestic violence, but she always finds a way to cut through the tension of such heavy topics without blunting her message of free speech and women's rights. We hope you'll enjoy our conversation as much as we enjoyed having it!

In this second of a two-part episode, we picked up where we left off with Amir Jones, an African-American Indonesian-American who's living in Washington, D.C. and involved in electoral politics. We continue talking about structural racism in America and the Black Lives Matter protests as a response to the murders of black Americans like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others — this time talking about the #DefundThePolice movement as well as racism in the criminal justice system. As media attention starts to die down, it is important we continue having these difficult but incredibly important conversations in order to make meaningful change happen for everyone. If you haven't listened to Part 1 of this conversation, you can take a listen on our track list — it's Episode 93.

In this first of a two-part episode, we have a very special guest — Amir Jones, an African-American Indonesian-American who’s living in Washington, D.C. and involved in electoral politics. We dive right into the topics around structural racism in America with Amir, in light of the recent weeks of Black Lives Matter protests as a response to the murders of black Americans like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others. We talk about racism in the Indonesian community and break down the elements of structural racism, such as class divide and systemic racism. We also talk about microaggressions in the context of racism and discrimination and discuss how to be actively anti-racist, especially within the circles of families and friends whom you can have the most impact on.   Join us next week for the 2nd part of our conversation with Amir, where we will continue our conversation and also talk about the #DefundThePolice movement.

In this episode, we talk to Levana Sani, co-founder and CEO of Nalagenetics, a meditech company based in Indonesia and Singapore that focuses on genetic testing for drug responses, but has now partially shifted focus to helping set up labs for COVID-19 testing. We dive into the basics of genetic testing, in particular human genotyping, which is what Nalagenetics as a company does in order to help doctors develop personalized medicine for their patients, tailored to their specific genetic profile. We talk to Levi about how her company has pivoted from genetic testing to COVID-19 testing, in particular qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) testing and comparing this particular method to the more widely known rapid testing method, which has had its critics. We also discuss how Nalagenetics have helped private companies — specifically huge corporations that employ thousands of people — test their workforce and keep their community safe, which goes into the conversation about private and public sector responses to COVID-19 and the democratization of testing. We discuss the ethics behind testing when there are limited test kits and how we can ensure the accessibility of testing to those who really need it.

In this episode, we have a very special guest — a long-time friend of ours, Dr. Vania, who is a second-year clinical nutrition resident currently based in Jakarta. We wanted to talk to her about the experience doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have as the COVID-19 outbreak started to spread in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta. We talk through the early days of the pandemic and how stressful it was for doctors and nurses, especially with the shortage in PPE (personal protective equipment) at the time. Vania shares some of her personal insights and experiences about what a lot of doctors were going through as they were trying to deal with the virus — and the sense of danger and fear many felt during this time. We also talk about some of the improvements that have happened since then, with shorter shifts and free frequent testing. Finally, we talk about how we as a society need to not only thank our amazing medical professionals for fighting on the front lines, but also do our part in making the situation better for them — instead of just valorizing their work (and for some, their sacrifice). It is during these times that we need to be fighting for our doctors and nurses and medical professionals — just like how they are fighting for us! Also, we want to note that these are all Vania’s personal views and do not represent the views of the hospitals or organizations she’s worked at or is currently working at.

In this episode, we talk about… nothing in particular, other than how tired we are. We have an honest and sincere conversation about the pressures of working from home coupled with the guilt that comes from not being as productive as we always say we would be, if we had more time. We share our struggles about keeping a healthy work-life balance, and how we’re trying to navigate our own unique situations with work, life, and relationships. This is a shorter episode because, like we said in the beginning, we are quite burnt out from the current circumstances right now — and that’s fine. We hope that our honest chat would encourage folks to be okay with being unproductive, to be okay with unwinding, and to do what you need to do to destress and relax in these strange and weird times. Stay safe and stay healthy at home, everyone! Also, to our listeners all over the world who are listening, have a blessed Ramadan!

In this episode, we’re [insert number of days] into the lockdown situation in most parts of the world right now and we wanted to have a lighthearted but also sincere conversation about what living in the world is like at the moment. We share bits and pieces about our lives in quarantine, with Swedian in Jakarta undergoing large-scale social distancing and Stephanie in the Bay Area living under stay-at-home orders. We reflect on how our respective local authorities are responding to the pandemic and the impact that has across all of society and various communities — especially those who are most vulnerable and are not privileged enough to protect themselves or work from home. We discuss about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the damaging effect of hoarding in terms of allocating resources for those who really need it. When we come out of this pandemic, we have a choice as a species — whether we will be completely Darwinian about ourselves and see who survives, or we will support one another and make choices that may be difficult and uncomfortable, but is better for your community, your society, and the human race.

Swedian is out sick at the moment (luckily, not because of COVID-19) so in the mean time, and in light of the current situation, we want to repeat our mental health episode, to support those who might be having trouble staying mentally healthy during this pandemic. We hope to be back as soon as we can! Please stay safe and healthy at home. ------- In this episode, we're discussing the topic of mental health! This issue has been in the news lately because Sandi, Prabowo's running mate in the upcoming presidential elections, have said that if elected, the Prabowo-Sandi administration will dedicate greater efforts into addressing mental health in Indonesia — an issue that is seldom talked about and incredibly stigmatized in the country. We talk a lot about self-care, how to be a good friend in supporting those with mental illness and mental health issues, and discuss how to destigmatize the topic in Indonesian society and conversation. Stephanie shares a little bit about her history with mental health, and we hope this dialogue will encourage our listeners to open up about their own stories and reach out to others who may be suffering from similar situations. Neither of us are mental health professionals in any way, shape, or form, but we hope our discussion will be helpful in getting people to talk more openly and emphatically about mental health.

In this episode, we’re reacting to the latest news of 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia. We break down the sequence of events that led to these confirmed cases. We reiterate some of the basic knowledge about COVID-19 and back it up with scientific data from the latest reports from the WHO, in order to dispel some common misconceptions and/or misinformation about COVID-19. We also want to address the panic buying that has occurred not only in Indonesia but all over the world, since it doesn’t address the real issue and only serves to jack up prices, deplete resources, and increase paranoia and fear. We urge our listeners to be calm and rational and practice good safe personal hygiene, and also to be empathetic to health care professionals and those who are in greater need of protection and be responsible about yourself and your actions.

In this episode, we tackle the topic of the Omnibus Law, which is a series of laws that has been drafted and are being discussed by the government to streamline some of the existing laws in order to make for better and more efficient regulation. We’re going to talk about some of the most controversial parts of the Omnibus Law that have been protested by labor unions, specifically the proposed revisions around labor laws (UU Cipta Kerja) — in particular, around pesangon or severance and minimum wage calculations. We break down what the current legal situations are in terms of severance payments and minimum wage calculations, what both sides of the argument want, and why these topics are so contentious and sensitive — because they are about people's livelihoods.  The Omnibus Law will be an ongoing topic of conversation over the next few weeks and months as the Parliament is discussing it, and we will continue to keep tabs on it. If you want us to cover any specific parts of the Omnibus Law with our ‘flimsy but earnest logic’ please let us know! Don’t hesitate to reach out over email or through social media!

In this episode, we’ll be discussing the 2019-nCoV, also known (for now) as the Novel Coronavirus, that’s been plaguing China and the rest of the world early this year. First discovered in the city of Wuhan, as of February 4th there has been more than 24,000 confirmed cases in China alone and more than 450 fatalities globally. We break down what the coronavirus is and the global reaction to the outbreak, which has led to reports of anti-Chinese racism and anti-Asian prejudice across parts of the world. Finally, we speak briefly about the situation in Indonesia, where more than 200 Indonesian citizens from Wuhan were evacuated and currently placed under quarantine in Natuna Island, which led to protests by the local residents who did not want them there, The tensions around this issue raises an important question, not just for Indonesia but for all of us around the world: how do we deal with this outbreak in a humane and empathetic way, without succumbing to fear, paranoia, and xenophobia?

In this episode, we talk about the dramatic flooding that plagued Jakarta and its neighboring cities on New Year’s Day 2020. We give our reactions to the news of the flooding that, as of January 6, has claimed 66 lives and continues to displace hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. There have been reports saying that floodwater reached up to 6m (19 feet) tall in some homes, completely destroying it and, in the process, destroying people’s lives and livelihoods. We discuss responses to this natural disaster, in particular the Jakarta government’s response as led by Governor Anies Baswedan. Many people have criticized the governor for the lack of preparation and poor planning — as well as the significant slash in the budget allocated for flood mitigation — that has led to the city experiencing one of the worst floods in the last twenty years. Ultimately, when disasters like this strike, it is not those in power nor people like us, who are privileged and have options, that are most impacted — it is the poorest of the poor who are most vulnerable to these situations, and whose lives have been completely turned upside down because of it.

In this episode, we’ll be featuring Stephanie’s audio pieces that she did as part of her grad school studies at the Columbia School of Journalism. The pieces are titled “Unsilent Night” — which is about a decades-long sound composition against traditional Christmas music — and “A Night at Greenwood Cemetery” — which is about Stephanie’s night tour of the famous cemetery in Brooklyn, in New York City. We thought it’d be cool for you listeners to get a listen behind the scenes at what Stephanie’s been up to! Finally, we just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have listened to our episodes, supported us, and shared our podcast to your friends and family over the years. It’s another eventful year for us — with Stephanie moving to the Bay Area and Swedian moving back home to Indonesia — but we’re always grateful and humbled to know that our stories and interviews continue to inspire listeners around the world and (hopefully!) move conversations toward a more progressive and just global perspective. We’re excited about what 2020 and beyond holds for us, and we can’t wait to share those stories with you in the near future. Until then, have a good end to your year, and we’ll see you in 2020!

In this episode, we discuss the recent Garuda smuggling scandal, which involved their president director Ari Askhara who had arranged for a vintage 1970s Harley Davidson, specialty Brompton foldable bikes, and their respective spare parts, to be smuggled into Indonesia through a Garuda plane, bypassing the appropriate taxes and the customs office. The level of corruption involved in making this operation happen implicated not only Askhara, but a lot of the directors and leaders in Garuda, prompting the new BUMN (State-Owned Enterprise) Minister Erick Thohir to fire Ari Askhara and suspend a number of Garuda directors. We talk about the audacity and ridiculousness of this scandal — not even Garuda’s first corruption scandal — not only because of how it unfolded, but also how apparent the wealth gap is and the insensitivity towards the life of the average Indonesian is coming from someone who is in charge of a national asset and is suppose to be somewhat serving the people. We discuss the responsibilities of a state-owned enterprise, and what this all means for Erick Thohir as he is just starting his job and asserting himself in this role.

In this second of our two-part episode with Pramudya Oktavinanda, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert), we continue our conversation into some of the legal circumstances of Jokowi and his 2nd term administration. We discuss a variety of topics that are not often covered by mainstream media, such as coalition loyalty in Indonesian politics, extremism in Indonesian elections, and the fluid and flexible nature of Indonesian democracy. If you haven’t listened to the first part of our conversation with Pram, please check it out as well!

In this first of our two-part episode, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert) Pramudya Oktavinanda is back to discuss some of the legal challenges Jokowi and his 2nd term administration will face over the next 5 years. Given the unrest last month over the old Parliament’s decision to pursue what some have called draconian legislation — RKUHP and UU KPK, among other things — we thought it is important to discuss, from an in-depth legal perspective, some of the issues behind these legislative maneuvers that would otherwise not be covered by mainstream media. We dig real deep into these topics in our conversation with Pram, so much so that we have to have two episodes for all the content! Tune into our next episode in two weeks’ time to catch the second part.

In this episode, we talk to Barry Beagen, an architect and urban planner who is the Program Director at Kota Kita, an urban planning NGO based in Indonesia that works in governance, inclusivity, and climate change resilience. We discuss the complex and difficult (but necessary) topic of climate change mitigation and the real work that goes behind making resilient cities, particularly in heavily impacted parts of the world like Indonesia. We break down specific risks that Indonesia face, and go in-depth into Indonesia-specific situations and scenarios surrounding climate change mitigation. We really get stuck in the weeds in this episode with Barry, but we think highlighting his and Kota Kita's work is really crucial in raising awareness about what kind of progress is being made in Indonesia on fighting climate change.

In this episode, Stephanie chats with Anindya "Vivi" Restuviani, a leading feminist and social activist in Indonesia and co-director of Hollaback! Jakarta, an organization dedicated to fighting street harassment in Indonesia. Vivi was part of the recent protests that erupted over the last week in Jakarta, as thousands of students and protestors gathered to protest Parliament's decision to pursue the legislation of draconian bills such as RKUHP (Revision of the Penal Code), UU KPK (a bill that will weaken the independent Corruption Eradication Commission), and others. We talk about some of the details of these bills — including the infamous "premarital sex ban" that is part of the RKUHP — and the fears students and protestors have if these bills were passed into law. As the fight to preserve Indonesia's democracy continues, both on the streets and in government buildings, we hope this conversation can be the first of many between all of us in civic society to discuss the future of our nation.

In this episode, we commemorate the life and legacy of our former President, B.J. Habibie, who passed away on September 11, 2019, at the age of 83 years old. Considered by many as the father of Indonesian innovation and engineering, Habibie was thrust into the limelight in 1998 when he became president following the May 1998 riots and the fall of Suharto. Even though he was trained as an engineer, Habibie showed incredible leadership and political acumen to guide the country through an incredibly tense and tumultuous time, and without him we would not have the democracy we have today. We want to take this time to really remember his life, his work, and the values and principles he believed in — values and principles surrounding democracy and diversity that we, as the future generation, need to keep working for and fighting for.

Swedian is in the midst of his move back to Indonesia, so we're going to repeat an episode on a topic that's always worth having conversations on — and that's mental health! ------- In this episode, we're discussing the topic of mental health! This issue has been in the news lately because Sandi, Prabowo's running mate in the upcoming presidential elections, have said that if elected, the Prabowo-Sandi administration will dedicate greater efforts into addressing mental health in Indonesia — an issue that is seldom talked about and incredibly stigmatized in the country. We talk a lot about self-care, how to be a good friend in supporting those with mental illness and mental health issues, and discuss how to destigmatize the topic in Indonesian society and conversation. Stephanie shares a little bit about her history with mental health, and we hope this dialogue will encourage our listeners to open up about their own stories and reach out to others who may be suffering from similar situations. Neither of us are mental health professionals in any way, shape, or form, but we hope our discussion will be helpful in getting people to talk more openly and emphatically about mental health.

In this episode, we discuss the recent protests that broke out in Manokwari and Jayapura over the recent arrest and detention of 43 West Papuan students in Surabaya over allegations of destroying and damaging the Indonesian flag. We want to unpack the historic tensions and conflicts that has led to this point. We begin with the historic tussle in the 1950’s and 60’s over West Papua between the Dutch and the new Republic of Indonesia that eventually led to a peace agreement called the New York Agreement in 1962. This agreement gave Indonesia West Papua, but also demanded a vote to be held that will ask the West Papuans to decide if they wanted to be a part of the new Republic. This referendum, known as the infamous “Act of Free Choice,” was held on August 2, 1969, and over 1,000 men and women selected by the Indonesian military unanimously voted to join Indonesia. Many politicians, journalists, and historians acknowledged that the referendum was unfairly executed and held under immense pressure from the Indonesian military, with threats of violence and repercussion forcing those chosen to vote in favor of Indonesia. To this day, various independence movements and NGOs have advocated for a new referendum that will allow West Papuans a truly fair and just vote, much to the displeasure of the Indonesian government. All of this contributes to the tension that underpin West Papua’s complicated relationship with Indonesia. While this story continues to break and develop, we want to urge our listeners and fellow Indonesians to address our own prejudices against West Papuans, especially since the initial incident was sparked by a hoax story circulated in social media. We have a lot of work to do to reconcile the historically unjust and unfair treatment of West Papuans in order to even begin considering a future solution, and it is our responsibility as Indonesians to ensure that the promises of our nation truly includes everyone from Sabang to Merauke.

In this episode, we talk about one of the lesser-known founding fathers of Indonesia, our first ever Prime Minister, Sutan Sjahrir! Dubbed the ‘Smiling Diplomat,’ Sjahrir is one of our nation’s greatest intellectuals and patriots, and was a key figure in the independence movement — from his time with Mohammad Hatta in the Netherlands organizing the Indonesian youth there, to negotiating the beginning of the new Indonesian Republic with the Dutch when he was the Prime Minister, and even to the last of his days when he was unfairly imprisoned without trial under alleged conspiracy charges for disagreeing with Sukarno’s regime. Sjahrir’s life story is a truly inspiring one, and as one of the foundational individuals behind Indonesia’s parliamentary democracy, we wanted to dedicate this episode to him and his ideas — especially in light of the increasing threats from all sides to our fragile democracy.

We don't have a new episode for you this week, so we are repeating one of our most popular episodes last year — our conversation with Rocky Intan on LGBTQ identity, Pride, and true progress. ------- In this episode, Stephanie is still out, so Swedian talks to a longtime friend and supporter of Dialogika, Rocky Intan, who is currently getting his Masters in Public Policy at Columbia University. This conversation was originally planned for June, as it was Pride Month, and we talk about Rocky’s experience as an out gay man living in America right now, comparing it to the experience back home in Indonesia. We talk about the power & importance of Pride, not just as a celebration of one’s identity but also as a way to make visible the marginalized LGBTQ community. Rocky shares the nuances of his coming out experience, including the financial, social, and relational implications. From there we talk about how we cannot take for granted that liberals and progressives are necessarily as open-minded about the LGBTQ community as we think they are, and that if we are true progressives we need to fight for a society that is equal, open, and just for all — not just for the heteronormative.

In this episode, we chat with Wilson Leung, who is a founding member of the Progressive Lawyers’ Group (HKPLG) — a group of Hong Kong lawyers dedicated to promoting rule of law, democracy, human rights, freedom and justice — about the recent extradition bill protests in Hong Kong. Wilson breaks down the situation on the ground over the last few weeks and the build-up of tension between HK residents and the government ever since the 2014 Umbrella Movement. We discuss how the youth of HK are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the HK government and are fearing their freedom and future in light of 2047 (which is when the current ‘one country, two systems’ structure expires and HK integrates fully back to China) happening within their lifetime. Finally, we talk about how the international community can help support the fight for democracy in HK by keeping abreast of the protest news and participate in any actions around the world that support the Hong Kong people.

In this episode, we dive deep into the 2019 legislative/parliamentary election results and break down what the numbers mean. We give a quick rundown of the political parties that made it to the Parliament (the usual suspects) and explain a little about the process in which they had to make it there (spoiler alert: it involves the parliamentary threshold, and there's a lot of math). Both Jokowi's and Prabowo's main parties — PDI-P and Gerindra respectively — made it as the top two parties in the results, and we delve a little bit into what that means for Indonesian democracy and its uniquely collaborative and coalition-driven nature. We also speculate about the rumors of both Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (better known as AHY) and Sandiaga Uno, Prabowo's running mate, potentially being interested in working in Jokowi's government, and the possibilities of a potential cabinet reshuffle following the Idul Fitri holiday. Our condolences to President Yudhoyono's family over the death of our former First Lady, Ibu Ani Yudhoyono.

In this episode, we recap the recent riots in Jakarta following the official announcement of Jokowi’s victory over Prabowo in the 2019 presidential election and break down the events and our responses to them. The KPU or General Elections Commissions officially announced last week that Jokowi has won the election by 55.5% or 85,607,362 votes, to Prabowo’s 44.5% or 68,650,239 votes — a difference of around 17 million votes. As anticipated, protesters began to gather outside the Bawaslu or Election Supervisory Body office in Central Jakarta and violent clashes occurred over the course of a few days, resulting in at least 6 deaths and hundreds injured. This all happen during the week of the anniversary of the May 1998 riots, and we share our feelings about the eerie coincidence. We also discuss the government’s decision to slow down social media platforms like WhatsApp in order to prevent the spread of fake news, misinformation, and hoaxes — and our complicated feelings about that particular decision. Finally, we give a shout-out to all the journalists, activists, lawyers, and others who have been on the frontlines in reporting the situation on the ground and keeping people accountable!

Swedian's out with a back injury (update: not broken as Stephanie said, but still pretty bad) so while we wish him a quick and full recovery, we're replaying our episode with Olin Monteiro, in light of the recent Women's March in April. Hope you enjoy! ------- In this episode, Swedian talks to Olin Monteiro, an Indonesian feminist activist who’s been working in the space for 30-odd years. We talk about how she got started in feminism, from her college years when she was exposed to the fight against sexual violence and the older generation of feminists, to her current relationship with the younger generation of feminists in groups such as the Jakarta Feminist Discussion Group. We discuss extensively how this issue of sexual violence has developed over the last few decades and the growing number of organizations that have emerged alongside the growing movement. We also talk about this “missing history” of women’s history in Indonesia, in particular how important women were to the progressive and liberal fights against authoritarian powers, from the Dutch colonizers to the New Order, as well as the amazing stories of women throughout Indonesian history who have always been fighting the patriarchy. Finally, Olin shares her hopes for the new generation of Indonesian feminists to continue educating themselves about the rich history and culture of women’s rights and activism in this beloved country of ours. #thefutureisfemale

In this episode, we talk about our feelings after the 2019 presidential and legislative elections and share our unique experiences voting for the first time abroad. We discuss the huge turnout (80%) of voters, Jokowi's healthy lead of +10% over Prabowo at the time of recording and the increasingly certain result of Jokowi winning the popular vote & retaining the presidency, as well as the legislative election results. In light of recent events, we also discuss the tragic deaths of election workers who died due to fatigue and over-exhaustion following Election Day, which was the world's largest single-day round of elections. We implore that the KPU or General Elections Commission review their current protocol and improve the situation so that such a tragedy never happen again in the future. Finally, we share a bit of exciting personal news: Stephanie's documentary, "Trouble Finds You," premiered over the weekend and has garnered a lot of positive responses and great press coverage!!

In this episode — the last one before Indonesia's presidential and legislative elections on April 17 — we discuss the fourth round of presidential debates, which is the last one between Jokowi and Prabowo. We talk about how both candidates performed, in particular unpacking their distinctly different visions of Indonesia's role regionally and globally. We look back at the last few months and this election cycle, reflecting on how much has changed since the 2014 presidential elections. Finally, we urge our listeners, whether you're in Indonesia or abroad like us, to get informed — not only on the presidential election but also the legislative election — and get ready to vote. For most Indonesians abroad, you'll likely be voting on the Saturday before the elections, on April 13th. For Indonesians in Indonesia, you'll be voting on Wednesday, April 17th. Get out and vote!

In this episode, Stephanie’s out with an emergency root canal so we have invited Andhyta Firselly Utami, better known as Afu, to come and chat about the vice-presidential debates. Afu and her husband Wikan are the brains behind Frame & Sentences, a YouTube series that breaks down important social and political issues (we’ve also interviewed them in our 35th episode), and she’s also a researcher and policy expert currently based in Indonesia. We break down the debate performances of Jokowi’s running mate Ma’ruf Amin and Prabowo’s running mate Sandiaga Uno and talk about how both candidates spoke to issues around education, health, human resources, social issues, and culture — focusing in particular on Indonesia’s human capital and the many problems surrounding its development. We also discuss what it means for young Indonesians of all background to become interested in what’s going on in the political space — and how can we leverage the conversation to be one that is inclusive, welcoming, and empathetic, by using moral psychology and really listening to each other. The elections (both presidential and legislative) are less than a month away, and these are all important and good food for thought as we consider our nation’s future.

In this episode, we're discussing the topic of mental health! This issue has been in the news lately because Sandi, Prabowo's running mate in the upcoming presidential elections, have said that if elected, the Prabowo-Sandi administration will dedicate greater efforts into addressing mental health in Indonesia — an issue that is seldom talked about and incredibly stigmatized in the country. We talk a lot about self-care, how to be a good friend in supporting those with mental illness and mental health issues, and discuss how to destigmatize the topic in Indonesian society and conversation. Stephanie shares a little bit about her history with mental health, and we hope this dialogue will encourage our listeners to open up about their own stories and reach out to others who may be suffering from similar situations. Neither of us are mental health professionals in any way, shape, or form, but we hope our discussion will be helpful in getting people to talk more openly and emphatically about mental health.

In this episode, we discuss the second round of presidential debates between candidates Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto, this time just on their own, without their vice presidential running mates. This round of debates talked about infrastructure, the environment, energy, and other industry & economic issues. We dug into a few of these topics, such as the Jokowi administration's record on infrastructure, his somewhat misleading comments on the environment & forest fires, as well as a deep dive into land usage & certification (courtesy of Stephanie's old job). We give out our assessments of both candidates' performance and commend Jokowi for having the calm and confidence to speak about and really showcase his administration's successes in these issues. Let's hope the next round of debates will be as substantive as this one... fingers crossed! Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we catch up on the latest on this news about Ahok's engagement and upcoming wedding with his new girlfriend, Puput Nastiti Devi, a former policewoman, bodyguard, and aide to Ahok's ex-wife Veronica Tan (with whom he filed for divorce in April 2018). We discuss how Ahok's narrative has taken over the coverage of this story — and the ramifications of that to the lives of both Puput and Veronica, as well as Ahok's own post-prison future. We also talk about how both women have been marginalized in their own narratives in the public eye, and how the media has covered this news in a very patriarchal and patronizing way. We break all of this down with our good ol' "flimsy but earnest logic" and wrap up by saying that we should always strive to understand these kinds of stories from a critical feminist angle, because there are a lot of difficult issues — of gender inequality, of power dynamics, of marginalized women, etc. — that are deeply embedded in these narratives, even if on the surface they're look like gossip.

In this first episode of 2019, we're back — and ready with our hot takes! We discuss the first round of presidential debates between candidates Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto, with their respective running mates Ma'ruf Amin and Sandiaga Uno. This first round of debates tackled issues of human rights, corruption, the law, and terrorism — but you wouldn't have guessed it from the reactions of most viewers, including us, who thought the debate was lackluster, gimmicky, and dramatic for the wrong reasons. We chat about how Sandi was probably the big winner of the night and how Ma'ruf Amin needs to improve his debating skills before he can match Sandi and Prabowo and do Jokowi justice. We also provide a quick update on the release of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok (although he now prefers to be called by his proper name or BTP instead of his Chinese-Indonesian moniker), after nearly two years in prison because of blasphemy charges. The former governor of Jakarta is expected to be released without much fanfare and is unlikely to participate in Indonesian politics or anything involving the presidential elections. There have been reports that BTP will be speaking in various engagements outside the country after his release.

In this episode, we answer some frequently asked questions about Dialogika, such as why are we so serious in our conversations and topics, why do we speak in English (and the baggage that is privilege which comes with that), and the perennial favorite, are we a couple in real life (the answer to that is a definite no). We also talk about some of our favorite podcast personally (aside from the classics such as Radiolab and This American Life), such as Gimlet Media’s The Horror of Dolores Roach and the New York Times’ The Daily, as well as sports podcasts like BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily and Jetty Media’s Game of Our Lives, and culture podcasts like Griefcast. We actually had to cut out a bunch of our other favorite podcasts from this week’s episode due to time; please check them out on our website: http://dialogika.id/faq-2018/

In this episode, Swedian's still out because of the U.S. midterm elections, but we're excited to share with you Stephanie's conversation with a rising figure in youth politics in Indonesia, Michael Victor Sianipar. Michael is a former aide to Ahok during his time as governor of Jakarta, and Michael's currently a member of PSI or the Indonesian Solidarity Party, one of the newest political parties in Indonesia with a huge youth following. This is actually the second of a two-part conversation between Stephanie and Michael; in this second episode, Stephanie talks to Michael about about women in politics, specifically female political candidates and the challenges they face in a still predominantly patriarchal environment. They talk about the non-negotiables that create the foundation for political values and beliefs, with Michael sharing PSI’s core values of fighting for diversity and inclusion as well as fighting against corruption. Finally, we wrap up this amazing two-part series with Michael’s highlights and hopes for himself and the future of Indonesian politics.

In this episode, Swedian's still out because of the US midterm elections, but we're excited to share with you Stephanie's conversation with a rising figure in youth politics in Indonesia, Michael Victor Sianipar. Michael is a former aide to Ahok during his time as governor of Jakarta, and Michael's currently a member of PSI or the Indonesian Solidarity Party, one of the newest political parties in Indonesia with a huge youth following. This is actually the first of a two-part conversation between Stephanie and Michael; in this first episode, Stephanie talks to Michael about his experience working with Ahok, from the early days of Ahok’s governorship to his prison sentence. They also talk about Michael’s current role as a regional leader in Jakarta local politics through PSI, and Michael also talks about how he got into politics in the first place. Stay tuned for the second episode of the conversation coming out at the end of the month!

We don’t have a new episode this week as we’re both tied up with work, so we have a repeat of our 40th episode, Going Beyond #MeToo in 2018 — our first episode of 2018 — where we discuss the #MeToo movement and our initial reactions to it. This issue of sexual harassment and sexual assault has been in the news for most of 2017 and 2018, and recently again with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony against Brett Kavanaugh in the midst of his Supreme Court nomination — accusing him of sexual assault — as well as Grab Indonesia’s mishandling of a sexual harassment case between a customer and a driver. We at Dialogika believe the women, we believe Dr. Ford, and we believe in continuing the fight against the patriarchal landscape which still suppresses and oppresses women everywhere today. We’ll be back in two weeks’ time with a brand new episode, so stay tuned! ----------------------- In this episode, we start off 2018 with a conversation about a topic that has been in the news for the last 3 months or so — the #MeToo movement. We will be talking about our own unique experiences and reactions to the #MeToo movement, and critically discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of #MeToo. We discuss some of the things men can do when the women in their lives confide in them about issues of harassment and assault, as well as things not to do. We also look into why there hasn’t been a similar #MeToo moment in Asia, including in Indonesia — perhaps, in part, because of the conservative and deeply patriarchal societies that exist across the continent, and the substantial backlash (including victim-blaming) that happens whenever someone comes out with their #MeToo story. That said, we are hopeful that Indonesia (and the rest of Asia) will perhaps have something like a #MeToo movement in the future — better yet, a movement where no one would ever need to say “me too” again. That’s our hope for Indonesia in 2018, and we’re excited to continue the conversation and fight!

In this week’s episode, we talk with frequent guest of the podcast Kerri Na Basaria about the exhibit Ulos, Hangoluan, & Tondi — an exhibition that features a collection of rare and old ulos, the iconic textile of the Batak people of North Sumatra. Kerri has planned and organized this exhibit that’s being held in the Textile Museum in Jakarta for the last few months, and we chat with her about the significance and meaning of ulos in the lives of the Bataknese, including its ceremonial and protective qualities. We also discuss the socio-economic circumstances that surround the production and sale of ulos such as the lives of the weavers, their aspirations and needs, and how they’re financially exploited by middlemen and other figures in power. Finally, we discuss the rich & diverse heritage and history of ulos as emblematic of the highest aspirations of Indonesian identity — one that genuinely celebrates its diverse cultures and backgrounds and recognizes the melting pot that makes up our unique shared history and society.

We don’t have a new episode this week as Swedian is out on a personal affair, so we have a repeat of our 38th episode, Working with Waria, where Stephanie talks with Dr. Sandeep Nanwani about his experience working with the waria community in Indonesia. We’ll be back in two weeks’ time with a brand new episode, so stay tuned! ----------------------- In this episode, Stephanie chats with Dr. Sandeep Nanwani, a young Indonesian doctor who is currently getting his Master's degree in Global Health Delivery at Harvard Medical School, about his work with the "waria" community — translated imperfectly as transgender women. Sandeep has been working with this community primarily by providing access to health care for them and other marginalized and invisible voices in the streets of Indonesia. We talked about how in order to understand the waria and their stories, you have to also understand both the social and the economic circumstances that impact their everyday lives, from their daily poverty to the informal economics of sex work & street busking that has come to define them. We also chatted about Sandeep's own journey into becoming a doctor and what led him to his current focus on researching cases of extreme mental illnesses among the homeless in Indonesia. Finally, we talked about how politically things have gotten more difficult for the "waria" as well as the wider LGBT community. We're excited to share Sandeep's story and the stories of the waria.

In this week's episode, we take on a lighter topic (by our standards) and discuss Crazy Rich Asians! We debate opposing perspectives about the movie — one that is critical of its limited and narrow representation of Asian-American (and, by extension, Asian) identity versus one that celebrates its empowering story, which features an all-Asian cast (with strong female characters) telling a distinctly Asian story. In our conversation, we acknowledge all these strengths and weaknesses of the movie, in particular framing it in the context of other stories that have sought to increase representation, such as Black Panther. In the end, we recognize the movie for what it is: a fun romantic comedy that is a first step (and not the final step) towards greater and more nuanced representation of non-white stories in Hollywood. Note: we also talk about what happened with our previous episode, which we re-uploaded under a different title. The short story is we've received feedback that the original episode was too offensive for general Indonesian sensibilities given its strong language. In the interest of keeping the important conversation going, we've taken out the profanity and re-uploaded the episode.

In this episode, we share our strong feelings about Jokowi's pick for his vice-president, Ma'ruf Amin, a 75-year-old conservative Muslim cleric who's known to espouse extremist and intolerant views when it comes to minorities, in particular the LGBT community as well as other ethnic and religious minorities. We discuss the problematic issues behind this decision, which we believe Jokowi and his coalition made in order to appease and appeal to the far-right Islamic base — an effort that in our opinion will severely alienate young progressive voters and potentially push them to the side of Prabowo and his vice-presidential pick, the current vice-governor of Jakarta, Sandiaga Uno. Our former guests Rocky Intan, Afu Utami, and Febriana Firdaus share their thoughts and reactions to the news, while we also talk about the potential for non-voting and/or protest votes affecting next year's presidential elections. Jokowi's pick has given a lot of Indonesian progressives a really tough decision to make in April 2019.

In this episode, Stephanie’s finally back (and with #hottakes) as we talk about the looming deadline for political parties in Indonesia to register their presidential and vice-presidential candidates for next year’s election. What made the news recently is that former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, better known as SBY, has come out and endorsed Prabowo, becoming a part of his coalition and competing against Jokowi’s coalition, which is led by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri. We’ll unpack all the political drama and personal history that has spanned decades — certainly within our lifetimes — as we discuss the ramifications of SBY’s decision. We’ll also talk about electability surveys and discuss Jokowi’s pro-people populism vs. Prabowo’s Islamic-conversative populism. Finally, as two Indonesians currently living abroad, we want to encourage all Indonesians — abroad or not — to remember to register to vote for next year’s election, which will be on 17 April 2019; and, of course, to vote on the day itself! For Indonesians abroad, the deadline for registering to vote abroad is coming up soon! Here in America it’s the 14th of August; please check your local Indonesian embassy or the Panitia Pemilihan Luar Negeri (PPLN) for more information — PLEASE REGISTER!

In this episode, Stephanie is still out, so Swedian talks to a longtime friend and supporter of Dialogika, Rocky Intan, who is currently getting his Masters in Public Policy at Columbia University. This conversation was originally planned for June, as it was Pride Month, and we talk about Rocky’s experience as an out gay man living in America right now, comparing it to the experience back home in Indonesia. We talk about the power & importance of Pride, not just as a celebration of one’s identity but also as a way to make visible the marginalized LGBTQ community. Rocky shares the nuances of his coming out experience, including the financial, social, and relational implications. From there we talk about how we cannot take for granted that liberals and progressives are necessarily as open-minded about the LGBTQ community as we think they are, and that if we are true progressives we need to fight for a society that is equal, open, and just for all — not just for the heteronormative.

Note: this podcast was recorded on Monday, 9th July 2018, before the semifinals between France & Belgium and England & Croatia --------------- In this episode, Stephanie’s out (and has nothing to contribute) as Swedian and former guest of the podcast Kerri Na Basaria talk shop about the 2018 World Cup in Russia that’s going on right now. As die-hard football fans, we discussed the four nations left — France, Belgium, England, and Croatia — and predict who will make the final. But beyond our thoughts about these last few games, we also chatted about our personal histories and relationships to football, in particular how we have matured in our understanding of football and its relationship to the world — especially the World Cup’s complicated and often-times messy relationship to the world. We discuss the impact past World Cup has had on host countries as well as the headlines that followed this year’s World Cup. We talk a lot about the politics of football, the politics of the World Cup, and how — as “responsible” football fans — it is our duty to love the beautiful game for what it is while also appreciating its impact (good, bad, and ugly) on the rest of the world.

In this episode — our 50th!! — we chat about Stephanie’s growth as a budding baby journalist & documentarian (and, perhaps, why she’s been a bit MIA this year from the podcast). Stephanie shares the lessons she’s learned this year in her program at the Columbia School of Journalism, including details of stories she’s worked tirelessly on. In particular, we hear the story of what-was-then-reported as the largest gang bust in New York City history, only to be later revealed by other news outlets — and Stephanie’s own investigation — to be a bust highly targetted at Black & Brown individuals and their social media activities. Stephanie is actually working on turning this story into a documentary as we speak! By the way, as we’re approaching the start of Lebaran/Ramadan, we’re going to take a short break. We’ll be back with a new episode at the end of June. In the meantime, enjoy our 50(!) episodes; if you’ve stuck around since the 1st episode, bless you!

In this episode, Stephanie's back as we address the recent suicide bombings that happened in Surabaya this past weekend, which hit a number of churches and reignited fears of terrorism as it emerged that the attackers were a family led by fundamentalist extremists under the teachings of ISIS. The fact that these attacks occurred on the week of the 20th anniversary of the May 1998 riots have generated even more worries among Indonesians, especially Chinese-Indonesians, who have historically been targeted as an ethnic and religious minority group. We talk about our reactions to hearing the news (as we both are currently living outside of Indonesia) and discuss President Jokowi's call for Parliament to quickly pass revisions to current anti-terrorism laws in order to give the police and military forces more power to fight terrorism. While we understand where the government is coming from, there are significant concerns to these revisions, as it may give the military huge amounts of power to invade people's privacy and violate civil liberties in the name of security — which, given the significance of this week, is a scary reminder of what happened 20 years ago. Our thoughts are with everyone in Surabaya #BersatuLawanTeroris #KamiTidakTakut

In this episode, Swedian talks with Stanley Widianto, a young Chinese-Indonesian freelance journalist who has written for publications such as The Guardian, South China Morning Post, Tirto, Tempo, among other publications. We chat about Stanley’s journey into becoming a journalist and the careful & reflective perspectives he has cultivated in his writing. We discuss two of Stanley’s pieces in depth:Seorang Non-Pribumi Menulis Kolom Ini” or “A Non-Indigenous Indonesian Wrote This Column,” and “The day my Chinese dad was declared a ‘bona fide’ Indonesian and given a new name.” Listeners, we encourage to read these two pieces before listening to this episode, so that you have a sense of what Stanley’s talking about and wrote about. We have links to these two articles on our website, www.dialogika.id, on the page for this episode. Finally, we wrap up with Stanley’s carefully, skeptically optimistic thoughts about Chinese-Indonesians in this current political climate and how to reconcile & recognize the legacy of the past in contending the future.

In this episode, Swedian talks to Olin Monteiro, an Indonesian feminist activist who’s been working in the space for 30-odd years. We talk about how she got started in feminism, from her college years when she was exposed to the fight against sexual violence and the older generation of feminists, to her current relationship with the younger generation of feminists in groups such as the Jakarta Feminist Discussion Group. We discuss extensively how this issue of sexual violence has developed over the last few decades and the growing number of organizations that have emerged alongside the growing movement. We also talk about this “missing history” of women’s history in Indonesia, in particular how important women were to the progressive and liberal fights against authoritarian powers, from the Dutch colonizers to the New Order, as well as the amazing stories of women throughout Indonesian history who have always been fighting the patriarchy. Finally, Olin shares her hopes for the new generation of Indonesian feminists to continue educating themselves about the rich history and culture of women’s rights and activism in this beloved country of ours. #thefutureisfemale