Yogyakarta, April 7, 2026 — Dr. Priyambudi Sulistiyanto spent three weeks at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) as a Visiting Scholar at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), from March 30 to April 21, 2026.
Commonly known as Dr. Budi, he is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Flinders University and a political anthropologist whose research focuses on Indonesian politics and comparative politics in Southeast Asia. His recent book, Melawat ke Asia (2025), reflects his ongoing engagement with the region’s evolving socio-political landscape.
During his visit at UGM, he also contributed to CESASS through an academic writing workshop. In a featured session, “Indonesianist or Southeast Asianist? Working as an Academic Outside Indonesia,” he shared insights on navigating an international academic career while maintaining strong intellectual and professional ties to Indonesia.
Drawing on his experience in Australia, Dr. Budi emphasized the importance of developing a clear specialization alongside building strong professional networks to sustain a resilient academic identity. He also highlighted how fieldwork can be transformed into reflective narratives that extend beyond journal publications, offering alternative forms of scholarly output such as books.
Following the workshop, Dr. Budi engaged in discussions with Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, Ad Interim Director of CESASS and Dean of FISIPOL, and Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto, Head of Program, Training, and Publication at CESASS. Among the key ideas discussed was the need to attract students and early-career scholars to engage with Southeast Asia. The discussion also explored the concept of academic napak tilas—retracing intellectual journeys—an approach inspired by Dr. Budi’s own work. This theme was further developed in his seminar, “Napak Tilas Alm. Ben Anderson di Bangkok,” held at FISIPOL.
Dr. Budi’s return to CESASS reflects an ongoing academic partnership, following his previous visit in 2023, where he also contributed as a speaker in the summer course program.
