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Democratic Regression and Impunity for Human Rights Violations in Indonesia

March 5, 2026
By 26719

Indonesia’s post‑1998 reforms promised justice, democratic consolidation, and a break from authoritarian rule. Prabowo’s ascent to the presidency, however, raises questions about accountability and human rights protections, writes Yance Arizona (University of Indonesia, 2011), even as formal democratic procedures remain intact.

Introduction

Indonesia’s democratic transition following the collapse of Suharto’s New Order in 1998 was widely regarded as one of the most successful reform experiences in Southeast Asia. Constitutional amendments, direct elections, decentralization, and the establishment of independent institutions—notably the Constitutional Court and the strengthening of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM)—marked a decisive break from authoritarian rule. These reforms were expected not only to institutionalize democracy but also to address the legacy of gross human rights violations committed during the New Order, particularly the escalation of state-sponsored terror in its final years.

Indonesian President Suharto announces his resignation in May 1998 amid student-led protests and widespread riots. (© Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

More than two decades later, however, the promise of accountability remains largely unrealized. Instead of democratic consolidation, Indonesia is experiencing a gradual democratic regression, as recorded by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index (2024). This aligns with the normalization of impunity for serious human rights violations. The election of Prabowo Subianto, the former son-in-law of Suharto, as president in 2024 represents a critical juncture in this trajectory. Although achieved through democratic procedures, his victory carries profound symbolic and political implications. Prabowo’s alleged involvement in the kidnapping and enforced disappearance of pro-democracy activists in 1998 has never been meaningfully addressed through judicial or non-judicial mechanisms. His ascent to the presidency thus raises fundamental questions about the substance of democracy, the integrity of transitional justice, and the future of human rights protection in Indonesia.

This article argues that Prabowo’s presidency not merely reflects unresolved failures of past accountability but actively consolidates a political environment in which impunity becomes normalized. Democratic procedures increasingly operate without democratic substance, while the state’s approach to security, governance, and dissent reveals a return to authoritarian logic reminiscent of the Suharto era. In this context, prospects for resolving gross human rights violations in Indonesia appear increasingly bleak.

Democracy Without Accountability

Formally, Indonesia continues to function as an electoral democracy. Elections are held regularly, political parties compete, and leadership changes occur through constitutional mechanisms. Yet democracy in its substantive sense requires accountability, the rule of law, and the prevention of abuses of power. The persistence of impunity for gross human rights violations represents a fundamental rupture in this framework.

Since the Reformasi (post-1998) period, successive governments have failed to ensure accountability in major cases, including the 1965–66 mass killings, enforced disappearances in the late 1990s, the Trisakti and Semanggi shootings, and systematic abuses in Papua. Despite extensive investigations conducted by Komnas HAM, these cases have consistently stalled at the prosecutorial stage. The Attorney General’s Office has repeatedly refused to pursue them, reflecting not technical incapacity but political reluctance to confront powerful military and political elites.

Prabowo’s election must be understood against this background of structural impunity. His political rehabilitation was possible precisely because the process of transitional justice remained incomplete. The absence of legal consequences enabled his return to formal politics, his normalization as a public figure, and eventual rise to the presidency. This trajectory demonstrates how impunity perpetuates itself across generations of power.

Electoral Victory and the Normalization of Impunity

A visual contrast in the political career of Prabowo Subianto: on the left, his 1998 dismissal from the military following allegations of involvement in the abduction of pro-democracy activists; on the right, his 2024 receipt of an honorary general badge from President Joko Widodo, shortly after winning the presidential election with Gibran Rakabuming Raka—Jokowi’s son—as his running mate.

Supporters of Prabowo often argue that his electoral victory confers democratic legitimacy and should put past allegations to rest. This argument conflates electoral success with moral and legal exoneration. Democratic elections determine who governs, but they do not absolve responsibility for serious crimes. When democratic mandates are used to shield unresolved allegations of gross human rights violations, democracy itself becomes an instrument of impunity.

The political narrative surrounding Prabowo’s presidency emphasizes reconciliation without truth, stability without justice, and development without rights. Human rights violations are reframed as historical controversies, national security necessities, or unfortunate excesses of the past that should not impede national unity. This narrative undermines the principle that crimes against humanity are not subject to political compromise or historical amnesia. Elevating a figure associated with an unresolved past to the highest executive office sends a powerful message that accountability is optional and that power can erase responsibility.

Militarization of Civil Governance

One of the clearest indicators of democratic regression under Prabowo is the expanding role of the military in civilian governance. Although Suharto’s central doctrine of dwifungsi ABRI—the “dual function” of the military in both the defense and civilian spheres—was abolished under Reformasi, its logic is re-emerging through legal and institutional practices. Revisions to the Military Law in 2025 now permit active officers to occupy several civilian posts, while retired and active military figures increasingly dominate ministries and state-owned enterprises.

This militarization has profound implications for human rights. Military institutions prioritize command, hierarchy, and security rather than democratic deliberation and rights protection. When military actors dominate civilian spaces, governance tends to privilege order over accountability.

In regions such as Papua, this approach has intensified repression. Militarization there aligns with government projects to clear approximately 2 million hectares of land for food production through deforestation, despite opposition from Papuan indigenous communities. Security operations continue to be framed as responses to separatism rather than potential sources of human rights violations. The normalization of military involvement reinforces institutional cultures that historically enabled impunity.

Criminalization of Dissent and Reversal of Direct Local Elections

Another telltale sign of democratic regression is the systematic narrowing of civic space. Activists, students, and civil society organizations increasingly face surveillance, intimidation, and criminal prosecution for protests and expressions critical of government policy. Demonstrations are frequently met with excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and charges under vague criminal provisions. After the mass protest in August 2025, 13 people died due to violence by security forces, and 703 individuals were detained and prosecuted. They are political prisoners who were tried for their legitimate expression in public. This pattern reflects a governing philosophy that treats dissent as a threat rather than a democratic resource. Laws on public order, electronic information, and national security are used to silence critics, creating a chilling effect on political participation. Many targeted activists are those who consistently demand accountability for past human rights violations. By criminalizing their actions, the state suppresses both contemporary dissent and collective memory of past injustices.

Protestors in Surabaya clash with police in August 2025. Government buildings were torched and the homes of parliament members were looted in Indonesia following a violent crackdown on civil dissent. (© Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)

The proposal to revert the selection of regional heads from direct elections to appointments by regional legislatures represents another significant democratic setback. Direct local elections were one of the most tangible achievements of Reformasi, enhancing political participation, accountability, and local autonomy. While the system has its flaws, its abolition would concentrate power within political elites and weaken popular control over local governance.

The justification for this reversal often rests on efficiency, cost reduction, or political stability. Yet these arguments obscure the broader democratic implications. Removing direct elections diminishes citizens’ ability to hold local leaders accountable and reinforces oligarchic control over political processes. It also aligns with a broader trend toward centralization and elite-driven decision-making.

In the context of human rights, this shift is particularly concerning. Local elections have often provided avenues for marginalized communities to influence governance and challenge abusive practices. Their removal would further distance decision makers from affected populations, reducing opportunities for rights-based advocacy at the local level.

Rewriting History and the Failure of Transitional Justice Mechanisms

The rehabilitation of authoritarian figures illustrates the depth of democratic regression. President Prabowo’s decision on November 11, 2025, to grant national hero status to former President Suharto represents an official rewriting of history. Suharto was forced to resign in 1998 amid mass protests against corruption, repression, and widespread human rights violations. Honoring him erases victims, understates suffering, and legitimizes authoritarian governance.

This revisionism reshapes collective memory and signals that justice is subordinate to political power. It also reflects the broader failure of Indonesia’s transitional justice framework. Judicial mechanisms have been ineffective, while non-judicial initiatives have been delayed or diluted. Under Prabowo’s leadership, meaningful accountability appears increasingly unlikely, given his personal history and reliance on military and elite support. Without accountability, the structural conditions that enabled past abuses persist, embedding impunity within political culture.

Indonesia’s experience reflects a broader global trend in which democratic procedures are used to legitimize authoritarian practices. Elections and constitutional forms remain intact, but their substance is hollowed out. Democracy becomes a shield for power rather than a constraint upon it. Under Prabowo, democratic mandates coexist with policies that weaken civilian control, suppress dissent, and reinvent authoritarian legacies. As a result, Indonesia risks consolidating an illiberal democracy in which elections legitimize authority while justice remains perpetually deferred.

 

Bibliography

Aspinall, Edward, and Ward Berenschot. Democracy for Sale: Elections, Clientelism, and the State in Indonesia. Cornell University Press, 2019. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctvdtphhq.

Crouch, Harold. The Army and Politics in Indonesia. Cornell University Press, 1988. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctvv417br.

Power, Thomas P. “Jokowi’s Authoritarian Turn and Indonesia’s Democratic Decline.” Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies 54, no. 3 (2018): 307–38. doi:10.1080/00074918.2018.1549918. 

Robinson, Geoffrey B. The Killing Season: A History of the Indonesian Massacres, 1965–66. Princeton University Press, 2018. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc774sg.

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York Fellow’s Article Spotlights Corporate Accountability in Ghana’s Extractive Sector

February 27, 2026

In February 2026, Cynthia Kwakyewah—a 2016-17 Sylff fellowship recipient and currently a course director in social science at York University—published an article in The Conversation examining the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility and community activism in Ghana’s mining, oil, and gas sectors. The piece draws heavily on her doctoral research, supported by a Sylff Research Abroad grant in 2019–20.

Kwakyewah is a global sociologist specializing in human rights, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development. In the article, she provides both an empirical analysis and a hopeful narrative of how communities, civil society organizations, and state institutions in Ghana are challenging longstanding patterns of corporate abuse.

A History of Resource Extraction, a New Wave of Accountability

Ghana’s long history of gold, stone, sand, and salt mining has often displaced people, polluted the environment and destroyed livelihoods. While public perception commonly assumes that such abuses persist with few consequences, Kwakyewah’s findings reveal a more complex and rapidly shifting reality.

Her research analyzed 27 human‑rights‑related cases filed between 2000 and 2020 and included interviews with policymakers and civil society leaders to illuminate on‑the‑ground dynamics.

One key insight was that 83% of rights violations stemmed directly from the actions—or inactions—of extractive firms themselves, rather than from multinationals enabling host governments to carry out abuses. Many cases involved inadequate compensation for lost land or crops, forced displacement, physical abuse, and environmental contamination.

A major contribution of her study is the recognition of how Ghana’s civil society organizations have stepped in to fill governance gaps, emerging as de facto regulators increasingly capable of holding corporations accountable. She shows that such “accountability from below” can often be more effective than top-down enforcement.

The Sylff Association secretariat is proud to have supported her research and looks forward to supporting similar initiatives that empower local communities, strengthen global governance, and promote human rights around the world.

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Building Emotionally Safe and Inclusive Schools in Samburu County, Kenya

February 25, 2026
By 33015

Using an SLI award, Jayne Warwathia Chege (University of Nairobi, 2012–14) organized a project in northern Kenya to strengthen teachers’ ability to integrate social and emotional learning into everyday classroom practice while also addressing the often-overlooked issue of teacher well-being and professional development.

*     *     *

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.
—Aristotle

In many parts of Kenya, schools operate within difficult social, cultural, and environmental conditions that strongly influence how learners experience education. Teachers today are expected to do far more than teach academic content. They are expected to guide behavior, instill values, protect learners from harm, respond to emotional distress, and prepare young people to participate responsibly in society. Yet, the support systems available to teachers have not evolved at the same pace as these expectations. In Samburu County, this gap is especially visible.

Teachers in the county face the dual responsibility of implementing the competency-based education (CBE) curriculum while responding to ongoing challenges such as tribal conflicts, learner emotional distress, school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), harmful cultural practices, environmental pressures, and limited access to counselling and psychosocial services. Many schools serve communities affected by poverty, insecurity, and long-standing social norms that place learners—particularly girls—at risk. It was within this context that the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Training of Trainers initiative was developed and implemented.

Funded by a Sylff Leadership Initiatives (SLI) grant and implemented by the community-based organization Persons of Influence, the project aimed to strengthen teachers’ ability to integrate social and emotional learning into everyday classroom practice while also addressing the often-overlooked issue of teacher well-being.  

SEL aligns closely with the goals of CBE by supporting values education, emotional awareness, communication skills, ethical decision-making, and responsible citizenship. However, early engagement with teachers and education stakeholders revealed a major concern: while teachers understood the importance of learner well-being, very few had received structured opportunities to update their skills, reflect on their practice, or learn how to respond to the growing emotional and social needs in their classrooms.

The author leading a session on self-awareness.

For many teachers, professional development opportunities are limited and narrowly focused on syllabus coverage and examinations. Training on mental health, emotional well-being, child protection, or trauma-informed teaching is rare. Yet, teachers regularly encounter learners dealing with grief, neglect, violence, early marriage, poverty, and emotional withdrawal. In the absence of structured support and clear guidance, teachers often rely on personal judgment and experience, carrying the emotional weight of these challenges largely on their own.

Over time, this accumulation leads to fatigue, frustration, and burnout. The SEL Training of Trainers initiative responded directly to this reality by placing teacher well-being at the center of the conversation, guided by a simple but powerful reminder that ran throughout the program: you cannot pour from an empty vessel.

Interactive and Reflective Approaches

The project began with a stakeholder engagement forum that brought together teachers, curriculum support officers, Ministry of Education officials, and civil society partners. The forum underscored the need for integrating SEL into schools, but it also revealed serious gaps. Participants spoke openly about the prevalence of SRGBV, the difficulty of identifying learners with mental health challenges or learning disabilities, and the absence of clear referral pathways to health and social services. These discussions made one point clear: schools are being asked to manage problems that go far beyond the classroom, often without the tools, authority, or institutional backing to do so effectively.

Using insights from this engagement, a team of trainers developed a five-day SEL Training of Trainers program that focused on practical application rather than theory alone. Specialists in child protection, gender-based violence, mental health, and inclusive education were invited to support specific sessions. The training methods were interactive and reflective, using role plays, real-life case discussions, guided journaling, group work, and school-based planning. These approaches allowed teachers to connect the training to their daily experiences and to reflect honestly on their own emotional health and leadership roles.

Role play on responsible decision-making.

Baseline assessments conducted at the onset of the training showed clear gaps. Most participants had limited understanding of the core SEL competencies or familiarity with the core values of the competency-based curriculum. Confidence levels were low when it came to recognizing emotional distress, responding to sensitive cases, or navigating referral systems. Many teachers also acknowledged that they struggled to manage their own stress, despite being expected to remain calm, patient, and supportive in difficult situations.

At the same time, teachers expressed a strong willingness to learn. Attitudes toward SEL were positive, and participants showed openness to new ways of thinking about teaching and learning. By the end of the training, post-assessment results showed clear improvement. Teachers demonstrated a better understanding of SEL concepts, greater confidence in facilitating discussions about emotions and behavior, and stronger ability to integrate SEL into lesson planning and classroom routines. Awareness of referral pathways for mental health concerns and SRGBV cases also improved, enabling teachers to respond more responsibly and ethically.

The project placed strong emphasis on continuity beyond the training itself. Each participating school developed a simple SEL action plan outlining activities, responsibilities, and timelines. Teachers committed to embedding SEL into lessons, assemblies, clubs, and everyday interactions with learners. A community of practice was also formed through a shared WhatsApp group, allowing participants to share experiences, ask questions, and support one another. This peer network helped reinforce the idea that change in schools is sustained through shared responsibility rather than individual effort.

Ms. Mirriam facilitating a session on self-management.

Equipping Teachers to Create Supportive Spaces

A few challenges were encountered during implementation. Limited resources, higher-than-expected attendance, and environmental conditions such as prolonged drought affected some planned activities, including school greening initiatives. At the school level, weak enforcement of child protection and SRGBV policies, combined with limited access to counselling services, made immediate application difficult in some cases. These challenges highlighted the limits of short-term training and the need for stronger institutional support and follow-up.

Despite these constraints, the project demonstrated the value of investing in teachers as whole people, not just curriculum implementers. When teachers are given space to learn, reflect, and receive support, they are better equipped to guide learners through difficult emotional and social realities. More importantly, they are better placed to model integrity, empathy, and responsible behavior.

After all, CBE was not modeled on examination results; it was meant to shape young people who can think critically, relate respectfully to others, make ethical choices, and participate meaningfully in their communities. The SEL Training of Trainers initiative demonstrated that when teacher well-being is prioritized and teachers are given opportunities to retool, schools become safer, more supportive spaces. In contexts like Samburu County, where social challenges and education are deeply intertwined, such approaches are essential for raising engaged, empowered, and ethical citizens as envisaged by CBE.

Group photo of participants in the SEL Training of Trainers program.

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Legian at Night: Reflections on Luxury Tourism and Local Life in Bali, Indonesia

February 25, 2026
By 29430

In a preliminary report on his SRG study into Bali’s luxury tourism, A. Faidlal Rahman (Gadjah Mada University, 2008–09) offers his personal thoughts on how upscale visitor experiences rely on the labor, lives, and adaptability of the local community.

*     *     *

My current research into “Luxury Experience, Empowerment, and Their Impact on Tourist Satisfaction” did not begin with data or theory. It began with night-time walks through the streets of Legian—a vibrant, beachfront district in southern Bali.

As night falls, Legian comes alive. Neon lights flicker on, music spills from bars and cafés, and the sidewalks fill with people speaking different languages. For many visitors, Legian is a place to be free, have fun, and enjoy the nightlife.

But as a Sylff fellow who has stayed in many of Bali's fancy hotels, I see Legian a little differently. This area shows how luxury tourism, urban development, and local life are interconnected, even amid the crowds and noise.

As I walk down Legian's main street, music is everywhere—some quickly fading away and others loud enough to shake the pavement. Small bars with live bands sit next to older buildings and longstanding local shops. Tourism workers stand in front of restaurants and attractions, serving food, guiding guests, or just watching the night unfold.

Live music fills the streets of night-time Legian.

Many electrical wires crisscross above the street—a reminder of how quickly this neighborhood has grown, often outpacing institutional planning. Legian’s layout is imperfect and improvised, shaped by flexibility, compromise, and the routines of daily life.

This field experience is important to me on a personal level. My interests go beyond just academic work. I can see how upscale travel is planned and managed by watching how luxury hotels operate. But Legian prompts a deeper question: who sustains this luxury?

Legian as a Place to Learn

The atmosphere inside Legian’s fancy hotels feels calm and controlled. Service follows international standards. Building design takes into account local traditions. Each guest gets personalized attention, and a sense of orderliness reinforces the feeling of richness.

But as soon as I step outside the hotel grounds, the mood changes. Big tourism businesses operate alongside local shops, informal vendors, and local residents. Life is busier, more fluid, and more interactive outside the hotel walls. It becomes clear that luxury tourism never exists in isolation.

Many hotel workers I met lived in Legian. During the day, they work in highly professional, polished hospitality environments. At night, they return to neighborhoods that have been heavily shaped by tourism. For them, the nightlife in Legian is not entertainment—it is a part of daily life.

Even though my time in Legian was limited, I was able to see how local life and international tourism interact. The people working behind the scenes—hotel staff, suppliers, small business owners, long-established shopkeepers, and informal transport drivers—are the ones responsible for making guests feel like they are in luxury. Their labor is the reason why tourism works.

The unhurried atmosphere of Legian’s nightlife.

This experience has changed how I approach the study of tourism. Thanks to my SRG award, I was able to slow down, hear more stories, and spend more time in the field. I learned that finding quick fixes do not always lead to the best solutions; understanding a place comes from small, everyday moments, such as short conversations with employees heading home late at night, watching how the street changes from hour to hour, or noticing the contrast between the quiet of hotels and the noise of the streets outside.

This experience also made me think about the social responsibility of researchers in the global academic community. The support I received from Sylff was not only a personal benefit but also reminded me that knowledge should ultimately contribute to society. Legian makes this clear. Tourism is more than just an industry; it also involves people, jobs, homes, and the environment.

What I saw in Legian can be found in tourist destinations all over the world. Global competition and rapid growth often put a strain on local life and identity. These challenges are not unique to Bali—they are part of a larger global tension between luxury tourism, sustainability, and community well-being.

Legian taught me that tourism is not simply about visitor numbers or revenue. It is about who benefits, who has to adapt, and who bears the consequences. The crowded sidewalks, late-night businesses, and multitasking employees are reminders that tourism is much more complicated than it looks.

Every night that I walked through Legian, I saw how global issues like sustainability and the search for authenticity play out in the details of everyday life. For people who live and work in tourist areas, these are not abstract concepts but everyday realities.

For me, Legian has become a place to learn. I now understand that tourism is a constantly evolving social phenomenon—not just an industry or a visitor’s experience but a space where people, values, and global responsibilities intersect.

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Website Maintenance on February 24 (15:00 to 18:00 JST)

February 18, 2026

We will be performing maintenance on the Sylff website on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, between 15:00 and 18:00 JST.

During this period, the website will be unavailable for approximately one hour and will display a “Maintenance in Progress” message.

The maintenance is part of our updates to pages related to the Sylff Support Programs for fiscal 2026.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

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Exploring the Upsides of Dark Tourism: Lessons from the Holocaust Memorial

February 17, 2026

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany. (©Hassan Ali)

Farhad Nazir, a Sylff fellow at the University of Coimbra, has co-authored a book chapter with Hassan Ali of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Germany. The chapter, titled “The Holocaust Memorial and Upsides of Dark Tourism in the Modern Times,” appears in The Emerald Handbook of International Dark Tourism.

Nazir recently completed his doctoral degree in Tourism, Heritage, and Territory at Coimbra. He was awarded a Sylff fellowship in 2022 and a Sylff Research Grant in 2024 and 2025.

The study examines the potential benefits of dark tourism at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial—officially the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe—focusing on its social, educational, psychological, and economic dimensions. The facility is the central subject of the research, a place to reflect on and remember the atrocities perpetrated during World War II.

On a societal level, the study discusses how the memorial can foster understanding and compassion by immersing visitors in the victims’ experiences and suffering. From an educational perspective, it considers the memorial’s capacity to provide historical context and promote critical thinking regarding the consequences of bigotry and prejudice. From a psychological dimension, the study investigates the memorial’s potential as a place for healing and dealing with loss and pain, while encouraging resilience and hope.

Additionally, the chapter explores the site’s role in enhancing social engagement, expanding educational possibilities, and contributing to the local economy by attracting tourists and reinforcing solidarity with affected communities. It underscores the memorial’s importance as a dark tourism destination in modern times, showcasing its function in promoting empathy, awareness, and respect for human rights. The study also provides practical implications for stakeholders directly or indirectly associated with shaping dark tourism experiences.

Link to the book chapter: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80592-501-920251024

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Harmony across Cultures: A Music and Arts Festival in the Suburbs of Paris

January 26, 2026
By 33110

Pianist Florent Ling (Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, 2024–26) co-organized a festival of classical music and the arts, bringing free concerts, workshops, and community programs to a culturally diverse district of suburban Paris—proving that cultural inclusion can inspire lasting engagement and creativity.

*     *     *

I am Florent Ling, a classical pianist raised in the suburbs of Paris and trained at some of the world’s leading music universities. As a French citizen of Asian descent, born in a neighborhood where access to classical music and other art forms often considered elitist was limited, I decided early on to make their democratization and transmission a major focus of my work. My upbringing instilled in me the conviction that access to culture can profoundly shape a young person’s sense of belonging, aspiration, and self-expression.

While the neighborhoods where I grew up are known for their cultural diversity, classical music continues to be perceived as elitist, distant, or irrelevant to daily life. This perception perpetuates a cycle of exclusion in which children and families from underrepresented or working-class backgrounds have limited opportunities to encounter the arts in empowering and inclusive ways. These are the reasons why I felt a personal responsibility to address this gap by creating a festival that would bring classical and multidisciplinary artistic experiences directly to the communities that shaped me.

With this vision, the project Sido & Co: Harmonies Croisées was conceived as a multicultural, interdisciplinary festival combining high-quality performances, educational workshops, and community-rooted initiatives. The name “Sido” was inspired by the two music notes si and do, while “& Co” reflects the project’s ambition to open music to other art forms and broader audiences.

Supported by Sylff Leadership Initiatives, the project evolved over several months of preparation into a four-day festival held from November 6 to 9, connecting the 10th district of Paris with its surrounding suburban areas for this inaugural edition. In co-direction with Camille Théveneau—whose experience in local cultural policy enriched the project’s reach—we were able to bridge institutional, geographical, and symbolic distances between Paris and its suburbs, which was an essential aspect of the festival’s mission.

An evening of “Cordes en Cœur” at the 10th district city hall, November 7, 2025.

The opening event marked an important milestone in this effort. Thanks to strong support from the municipality of the 10th district, we were able to host our main concert in the prestigious city hall, offering completely free admission. The program featured six classical musicians, all from suburban and culturally diverse areas. The event was an overwhelming success, drawing over 200 attendees, including families and children from the suburbs who were personally invited through schools and community partners, such as the Conservatoire de Malakoff, where I currently teach. The atmosphere was both celebratory and intimate, demonstrating that when artistic excellence is made accessible, new audiences respond with great enthusiasm and curiosity.

Around this central event, we developed a series of socially engaged activities that embodied the festival’s multidisciplinary and inclusive philosophy. Perhaps the most meaningful was Prolégomènes Dumky, a music-theater show for children built around Dvořák’s “Dumky” Trio. Featuring three professional musicians who themselves grew up in suburban environments, the show humorously and tenderly portrayed the behind-the-scenes process of chamber music rehearsals, from negotiations and challenges to the moments of inspiration that shape artistic collaboration. Because the piece demystifies classical music while honoring the lived experiences of the performers, it resonated powerfully with schoolchildren.

A packed house of enthusiastic young listeners attended the music-theater performance of Prolégomènes Dumky.

Thanks to our close collaboration with local elementary schools, we were able to welcome four different classes to this event, totaling over 100 children across the two performances. One of the highlights of these sessions was the post-show interaction between the young audience and the musicians. Children asked perceptive, often surprising questions—not only about the instruments or the music but also about perseverance, teamwork, and what it means to be an artist. These simple exchanges created a sense of proximity that is rarely offered in traditional concert formats.

Miniconcerts featuring Duo Théveneau were presented during the festival for healthcare workers at Lariboisière and Saint-Louis Hospitals.

Another key component of the Sido & Co Festival was the project’s engagement with local hospitals, further advancing our commitment to accessibility. Inspired by the belief that artistic experiences can offer comfort and human connection in challenging environments, we organized performances in two hospitals. A pair of musicians visited Hôpital Saint-Louis and Hôpital Lariboisière to present short musical programs for patients, families, and medical staff. These moments of pause, beauty, and shared presence were warmly received by both institutions, which quickly expressed a desire to renew the collaboration in the future. Bringing music into healthcare settings reaffirmed our conviction that the arts can serve as a vital form of social care, especially for individuals who cannot easily access cultural events.

The festival also featured two multidisciplinary evening events in a contemporary art gallery: “Raices,” a concert blending folk and classical music performed by two musicians of Hispanic descent, and L’Histoire du Soldat, an epic tale combining music and theater. These events attracted a remarkably diverse audience: regular gallery visitors, artists, long-time residents from nearby neighborhoods, and new suburban participants who had learned about the festival through earlier events. These enriching encounters illustrated one of our festival’s core intentions: to create shared spaces where people from different backgrounds feel equally invited and represented.

Behind the scenes, the festival was also shaped by the long-term “Résonances Personnelles” workshop, which took place over the preceding months at the suburban Conservatoire de Malakoff. Working with local teenagers, we explored how personal histories, musical influences, and spoken narratives can intersect to create new forms of artistic expression. This workshop was essential not only for artistic reasons but also because it offered young people an opportunity to take ownership of the project and see their creativity valued. By inviting them to all festival events as part of the workshop and enabling exchange with different artists, we were able to broaden their artistic perspectives.

The “Raíces” concert for voice and clavichord.

By the end of the four days, the festival had welcomed nearly 400 participants across all events, including more than 100 children. Beyond the numbers, the most meaningful outcomes lay in the strengthened relationships among artists, cultural institutions, municipal partners, and schools that collaborated in this first edition. Teachers reported that their students continued discussing the performances days after attending; hospital staff shared that the musical sessions had lifted the spirits of patients and medical staff alike; and many first-time audience members expressed their desire to return for future programs.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign of the project’s long-term impact is this clear demand we received for continuity. Multiple partners, including schools, hospitals, gallery spaces, and municipalities, have already requested opportunities to collaborate again. The festival demonstrated that when artistic experiences are brought directly to communities and shaped with their realities in mind, they generate lasting enthusiasm and engagement.

Ultimately, Sido & Co: Harmonies Croisées has established a replicable model for community-based artistic events that can be strengthened and expanded in future editions across both urban and suburban contexts. The project reaffirmed the transformative potential of culturally inclusive artistic practices and reminded us of our responsibility as artists and educators to make the arts accessible, empowering, and reflective of the diversity of the communities we serve.

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Survey Research Sustainability at Risk from Interviewer Supply-Demand Imbalance

January 22, 2026
By 31317

The growing demand for high-quality survey data and the shrinking supply of qualified interviewers are creating a bottleneck that threatens the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of survey operations, caution Blanka Szeitl (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2023) and co-authors Gergely Horzsa and Anna Kovács.

Gap between Standardization and Practice

In Hungary, large numbers of surveys are conducted each year. The Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) alone collects around 1.2 million questionnaires annually (KSH 2021), and when market and political polls are included, the total likely exceeds 3 million (Szeitl 2024). This magnitude highlights the importance of survey research and the need to examine its quality. This study focuses on a specific aspect of survey quality: the effect of those collecting the responses, that is, the interviewers.

Survey research is built on the idea that interviews can be standardized so that all respondents are asked the same questions under the same conditions, producing data that reflect real attitudes rather than interaction effects. For decades, this has been treated as a gold standard in survey methodology. Methodological literature emphasizes scripted wording, neutral tone, consistent behavior, and minimal deviation from protocol as key factors in reducing error (Cannell and Kahn 1968; Groves et al. 2009).

However, research has also shown that interviews are inherently social interactions in which meaning is co-constructed by interviewer and respondent. More recent papers recognize interviewers as social actors whose behavior is shaped by training, labor conditions, organizational environments, and the challenges of obtaining cooperation in an era of declining trust (West and Olson 2017).

Despite this, most empirical work on interviewer effects remains quantitative, focusing on measurable outcomes such as nonresponse patterns, response distributions, or measurement error, while qualitative insights into how interviewers understand their roles and manage difficulties remain limited. Interviewers work in complex social environments, deal with distrust and emotional strain, and respond to organizational pressures that rigid standardization cannot fully anticipate. Therefore, deviations from standardization may not exclusively be “errors” but also strategies that make data collection possible.

Based on 50 semi-structured interviews with survey interviewers and fieldwork instructors in Hungary (Figure 1), my SRG study explored these dynamics from the perspective of the interviewers who directly shape the interaction between research and the public. Rather than judging interviewers against methodological ideals, the research focused on how they conduct interviews and how their adaptations affect data quality.

Figure 1. Interview Locations during the SRG Study

Source: Created by the authors.

Interviewers in a Shifting Labor Environment

Most interviewers entered the field because it offered autonomy, flexible hours, and supplementary income.

By then, the child was already getting quite big, and I had less to do. And my husband is extremely independent, so I didn’t have to look after him. I had time, and sewing, handicrafts, and things like that didn’t tie me down. That’s how I got into it. [survey interviewer]

Very few younger people enter the field today, with interviewers describing the profession as one that “only older people do now.” Some attribute this to generational differences in motivation, while others point to the declining appeal and worsening conditions of fieldwork.

An image of an older female interviewer collecting data for a survey. Source: Freepik.

Most interviewers work on freelance or zero-base-rate contracts, receiving payment only after projects are completed and approved by clients. Several recalled waiting three to nine months for payment, with no formal guarantee of compensation. Payment for this work has also fallen markedly since the 1980s.

So we left him the radio log in paper form, whether he wrote down what he listened to on the radio correctly or incorrectly, we went, collected it, and in 1985 we got 100 forints for it. Then I went . . .  and bought some cakes for the family, took them home, and we happily stuffed ourselves with income from one radio log, right? Today, people get 1,200 forints [3 euros] or 1,500 forints [4 euros] for one questionnaire, which is in fact the price of just a slice of cake, right? I’m just saying that if we compare it that way. [survey interviewer]

Interviewers also reported unpredictable workloads. Assignments arrive with little notice, deadlines are tight, and the amount of work varies from month to month. At the same time, the broader survey environment has become characterized by low trust. Respondents, increasingly skeptical of unknown organizations and wary of sharing personal information, are more likely to refuse participation. Interviewers also perceive a growing mistrust from research organizations and clients, expressed through GPS tracking, audio monitoring, and detailed scrutiny of their behavior. These forms of surveillance were described not only as stressful but as a sign that interviewers are assumed to be untrustworthy until proven otherwise.

Yet, interviewers are expected to perform complex emotional labor, like managing rejection, navigating suspicion, calming anxious respondents, and persisting in the face of hostility or indifference. This emotional labor remains largely unrecognized and unsupported within research organizations.

Many people [new survey interviewers] ran away from me screaming because they said it was a job that would destroy your nerves, your soul, everything. [survey field instructor]

Interviewers also face numerous practical obstacles. Sampling files frequently contain outdated or incorrect addresses, forcing interviewers to spend hours searching for households that no longer exist or have long since moved. Poorly designed questionnaires—lengthy, repetitive, or written in unclear language—exacerbate the frustration of respondents.

You leave in the morning, and you don’t know what you’re going to do, whether you’ll need ten days, or one, or two. [survey interviewer]

These structural issues place interviewers under constant time pressure, pushing them to find ways to navigate the demands of fieldwork while still producing usable data. The interviews reveal that this navigation often involves informal practices that deviate from strict standardization.

Adaptive Strategies for Securing Cooperation

Interviewers routinely adjust, soften, or reinterpret standardized procedures to build rapport, sustain cooperation, and complete their assignments. One major theme is the restoration of the human element of the interaction. Interviewers emphasize patience, empathy, and interpersonal warmth as essential tools for overcoming suspicion. Many describe the early moments of contact as a kind of emotional negotiation. Through small gestures of understanding, they work to shift the interaction from a defensive posture to one of openness.

An image of a survey respondent by the gate of his house. Source: Freepik.

Another strategy involves making selective decisions about where and when to conduct interviews. Interviewers often avoid neighborhoods they perceive as hostile or unsafe, instead prioritizing areas where they expect cooperation to be higher. While these choices improve efficiency, they also carry implications for sample representativeness.

Interviewers also describe numerous ways of managing questionnaire length. Some shorten interviews by summarizing or selectively skipping redundant or confusing items. Others take quick notes during the interaction and complete data entry of the full answers later at home. These adjustments enable interviews to proceed in a reasonable time frame, particularly with tired or hesitant respondents.

Personalization is also widespread. Interviewers frequently rephrase questions, offer clarifications, or gently guide respondents toward appropriate categories when questions are complex. Far from seeing these practices as violations of protocol, interviewers view them as essential for respondent cooperation.

Implications for Survey Research

Taken together, these findings reveal a fundamental tension between the ideal of standardized interviewing and the realities of fieldwork. Deviations are not random errors but practical responses to time pressure, mistrust, and limited organizational support. Some strategies improve respondent understanding and reduce refusals, while others risk introducing bias. Shifting the focus from standardizing interactions to standardizing outputs, such as coding, documentation, and reporting of deviations, could help preserve data quality while allowing interviewers the flexibility needed in the field. Achieving this requires investment in training, fair compensation, and supportive organizational structures.

The current landscape of survey data collection can be conceptualized as an inverted pyramid (Figure 2), reflecting the increasing structural imbalance within the field. At the top are the researchers, representing a relatively large and growing group of professionals who design studies, interpret data, and set methodological standards. Below them are the research companies, whose role is to manage projects, coordinate fieldwork, and ensure quality control. Further down are the survey agencies, which are responsible for the operational aspects like recruitment, scheduling, and supervision of interviewers.

At the very bottom of the inverted pyramid are the survey interviewers: the group that is, paradoxically, both the smallest in number and the most crucial for the execution of survey research. Despite being the backbone of high-quality empirical data collection, their availability has been declining rapidly. This shrinking base creates a structural vulnerability: the entire system depends on a diminishing pool of fieldworkers, whose work conditions, motivation, and professional support have deteriorated in recent years. The imbalance between the expanding demand for high-quality data and the contracting supply of qualified interviewers results in a bottleneck that threatens the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and timeliness of survey operations.

Figure 2. Survey Research Pyramid

Source: Created by the authors.

The inverted pyramid thus illustrates a systemic tension: while academic and commercial expectations toward survey quality and methodological rigor continue to rise, the human infrastructure required to deliver these standards is weakening. This structural mismatch poses one of the most significant contemporary challenges for the sustainability of survey research.

The results of this study are presented in detail in two manuscripts. One focuses on the local history, formation, and development of the interviewer network (in Hungarian; current version available here), while the other examines how the factors influencing survey quality can be grouped (current version available here).

Blanka Szeitl, far right, with members of her research group.

Read about the research group

Read more about the interview details

References

Cannell, Charles F., and Robert L. Kahn. 1968. “Interviewing.” In The Handbook of Social Psychology, edited by Gardner Lindzey and Elliot Aronson, 526–95. Vol. 2. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Groves, Robert M., Floyd J. Fowler, Mick P. Couper, James M. Lepkowski, Eleanor Singer, and Roger Tourangeau. 2009. Survey Methodology. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH). 2021. Activities of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 2020–2021. Technical report. Budapest: Hungarian Central Statistical Office.

Szeitl, Blanka. 2024. Surveying the Human Population: Errors and Their Corrections. PhD diss., University of Szeged.

West, Brady T., and Kristen Olson. 2017. “Interviewer Effects in Survey Data.” In The Palgrave Handbook of Survey Research, edited by David L. Vannette and Jon A. Krosnick, 329–47. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

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São Paulo Fellow’s Journey of Learning and Connection: Sylff@Tokyo

January 21, 2026

The Sylff Association secretariat had the pleasure of welcoming Marici Cristine Gramacho Sakata, a fellow at the University of São Paulo, to its Tokyo office on January 9, 2026.

“I’m very excited to finally be here,” Sakata said of her first visit—not only to the Sylff office but also to Japan, the country of her father. “I’m very grateful for the Sylff fellowship,” she added, which she received in 2006 while pursuing her doctorate in communication science at USP’s School of Communications and Arts. “It was very important for my studies and my career.”

She is currently travelling with her family to major cities in Japan and will also visit Taiwan to make arrangements for a tour she will lead later this year for Brazilian school owners.

She worked as a researcher at USP’s Information Systems and Technology Research Lab—where she helped organize the annual International Conference on Information Systems and Technology Management—and also served as an assistant editor of the Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management.

She now organizes educational tours aimed at informing school owners of management trends in countries outside Brazil. “We work with the local governments in arranging these tours,” she explained. “Last year we went to Switzerland, and we’ve also visited Portugal. We were in Japan about five years ago, but that was before I became involved.”

These trips are designed to give owners a better understanding of the benchmarks being used at primary and secondary schools in other countries.

“It’s very interesting to see the interactions of this group while we’re traveling,” Sakata says. During the school year, many private school owners have limited opportunities to learn how other schools are addressing recent changes in the educational environment—such as student use of smartphones and AI. These fact-finding opportunities are therefore very valuable for them.

“Education is not just a government obligation; it’s also a business,” she points out. “Many participants operate major schools with thousands of students, but when traveling together, they don’t see each other as competitors. They really seem to cherish the experience.”

Sakata expressed her hope of applying the lessons from her current trip to Japan to make a greater contribution to the Sylff community in São Paulo and beyond. The secretariat was heartened by her offer and looks forward to sharing her future engagements with the broader Sylff community. (Compiled by Nozomu Kawamoto)

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Service Learning as an Innovative Pedagogy in Indonesian Higher Education

January 19, 2026
By 32013

SRG 2024–supported research led by Obby Taufik Hidayat (Universiti Malaya, 2023) examined the first pillar of the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, proposing the adoption of service learning as an innovative pedagogy to strengthen students’ knowledge, skills, and character.

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Education is widely recognized as a fundamental factor in developing well-rounded individuals. Indonesia’s aspiration to become a leading nation across various sectors by the centennial of its independence in 2045—as outlined in its Golden Indonesia 2045 vision—rests on equipping individuals to tackle diverse challenges. According to economic data from the Ministry of Education and Culture, Indonesia is projected to benefit from a demographic bonus, providing an ample source of human capital for development. Between 2030 and 2045, approximately 70% of the population is expected to be of productive age (15–64) (Irfani et al. 2021). Educational transformation will thus be essential for developing intelligent and principled citizens to achieve the vision’s goals.

In 2020, the ministry introduced the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM), or Freedom of Learning and Independent Campus, policy, which emphasizes experiential learning. One program that operationalizes this aspect of MBKM is Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN), or the Community Service Program. While KKN has often been identified as a service-learning initiative, its current implementation at Indonesian universities does not adequately incorporate the essential components of service learning, instead primarily emphasizing community service or volunteerism and often lacking integration with university courses or curricula (Hidayat and Balakrishnan, 2024). There has thus been reduced emphasis on student learning outcomes.

In contrast, service learning aims to enhance students’ mastery and understanding of theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom by providing hands-on experience in community service projects and fostering meaningful reflection on these experiences. Strengthening the connection between academic content and community engagement can ensure that student learning is not only maintained but also enriched through service initiatives (Salam et al. 2019). Accordingly, this study aims to improve KKN by integrating service-learning principles to develop value-based graduates in a diverse environment.

A qualitative multiple-case study design was employed to explore the application of service learning within the KKN program. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, observations, and document reviews involving two KKN groups: one following the usual approach and the other implementing service-learning elements introduced by the researcher. The researcher then compared the two groups, and the data were analyzed using content analysis and manual thematic analysis.

Semi-structured interviews and observations of participants in this research.

Furthermore, during data collection, given the limited research on service learning in Indonesia and the need to enhance international understanding, the researcher attended the 2024 IARSLCE Asian-Pacific Conference X International Conference on Service-Learning at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) as both a presenter and participant in several workshops. This event represented a collaborative initiative among international associations dedicated to advancing service-learning research and promoting community engagement in the Asia Pacific region.

In addition, the workshop shown below was part of the preconference session at the international conference. During this event, the researcher gained new insights into service learning from several international experts in the field. These discussions helped broaden understanding of the philosophy, key elements, and objectives of service learning. They also facilitated comparative analysis of service learning across several countries, yielding new perspectives that have become a crucial part of service-learning research in Indonesian higher education.

The preconference workshop on Setting a Global Research Agenda for Service Learning at PolyU, Hong Kong.

Meaningful Experiences: Findings from Community Projects

Both the lecturer and students in this study reported that service learning, as an experiential approach, strengthens compulsory, community-service-based courses like KKN. Although KKN incorporates hands-on learning, service learning is seen as more structured and effective for integrating experiential learning in community service settings. This observation aligns with Tan and Soo (2020), who assert that academic experiential learning plays a key role in cultivating responsible citizenship. Therefore, service-learning programs are designed to deepen students’ understanding of theoretical concepts introduced in the classroom through practical application.

The findings of this study indicate that a defining characteristic of service learning is its emphasis on experiential learning, which integrates community-service activities with students’ prior classroom knowledge. This aligns with experiential learning theories advanced by several scholars. Dewey (1938) advocated for “learning by experience” and examined the broader role of academic institutions in community development. Kolb (1984) conceptualized experiential learning as a holistic process integrating observation, empowerment, reflection, experience, and action through behavioral development across diverse contexts.

Kolb further defined experiential learning as a process of exploration and engagement that connects prior knowledge with new understanding, encouraging sharing, reflection, and cognitive processing. In the context of service learning in Indonesia (see figure below), learning is more effectively sustained through conceptual and process-oriented approaches, which sharpen critical thinking skills and enhance intrinsic motivation for discovery. Experiences that contribute positively to the learning process are considered valuable.

The characteristics of service learning in the KKN program begin with students identifying societal problems or issues they intend to address. Next, students engage directly and meaningfully with the community. In the third stage of experiential learning, they integrate their personal experiences with the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom. This process enables students to generate new knowledge by developing original ideas or concepts, which are then shared to address community challenges. In the final stage, students reflect on their societal experiences through critical and creative thinking. According to Hinchey (2004), students who reflect on their learning experiences become active learners, and those who engage in extensive reflection continue to expand their knowledge. Balakrishnan et al. (2022) noted that increased experiential engagement enhances students’ capacity for reflection, thereby facilitating the development and accumulation of knowledge, values, and skills.

Implications for Pedagogy and Policy

The findings of this study suggest procedures for improving KKN implementation in higher education, which could strengthen its role as a service-learning approach in Indonesia. Service learning encourages students to apply theoretical knowledge, values, and skills within real-world community contexts, thereby supporting and strengthening local communities. The figure below presents an overview of the study’s results and outlines a procedure for implementing service learning in Indonesia. This approach seeks to enhance KKN by transforming it into an innovative pedagogy that positively impacts both students and the community.

Service-learning pedagogy is essential because it provides a structured environment in which students can apply classroom knowledge to real community situations. Through direct engagement, students gain practical experience and insights. Their active participation encourages reflection and empowerment and enhances the learning process. By engaging in reflection, students reconstruct knowledge and deepen their understanding (Balakrishnan et al. 2022). In a multicultural society, such reflection plays a vital role in cultivating individuals who embody the core values of Pancasila—the five principles that form Indonesia’s foundational ideology—an attribute that will be critical for future graduates.

Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and integrate service learning into KKN programs. Specifically, these programs should incorporate hands-on community engagement, reflection activities, and collaborative problem-solving, consistent with the philosophy and principles of service learning. Findings from this study can provide a valuable reference for shaping educational policies in Indonesia. University rectors, deans, and lecturers can use these findings to help design policies that prioritize these elements. Such policies will elevate KKN to international standards of service learning.

Incorporating service learning into KKN programs will help produce graduates with strong academic qualifications who are well-prepared to contribute to a multicultural society. This effort matches the broader goal of transforming higher education and supports the realization of the first pillar of Golden Indonesia 2045: advancing human development and the progress of science and technology.

References

Balakrishnan, Vishalache, Yong Zulina Zubari, and Wendy Mei Tien Yee. 2022. Introduction to Service Learning in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press.

Dewey, John. 1938. Experience and Education. New York: Kappa Delta Pi.

Hidayat, Obby Taufik, and Vishalache Balakrishnan. 2024. “Service Learning in Higher Education Institution towards Character Education Curriculum: A Systematic Literature Review.” Jurnal Kurikulum & Pengajaran Asia Pasifik 12 (2): 9–21.

Hinchey, Patricia H. 2004. Becoming a Critical Educator: Defining a Classroom Identity, Designing a Critical Pedagogy. Counterpoints Education Series, vol. 224. Peter Lang.

Irfani, Sabit, Dwi Riyanti, Ricky Santoso Muharam, and Suharno. 2021. “Rand Design Generasi Emas 2045: Tantangan Dan Prospek Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan Untuk Kemajuan Indonesia.” Jurnal Penelitian Kebijakan Pendidikan 14 (2): 123–34. https://doi.org/10.24832/jpkp.v14i2.532.

Kolb, David. A. 1984. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Salam, Maimoona, Dayang Nurfatimah Awang Iskandar, Dayang Hanani Abang Ibrahim, and Muhammad Shoaib Farooq. 2019. Service Learning in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review. Asia Pacific Education Review 20 (4): 573–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-019-09580-6.

Tan, Soo Yin and Shi Hui Joy Soo. 2020. “Service-Learning and the Development of Student Teachers in Singapore.” Asia Pacific Journal of Education 40 (2): 263–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2019.1671809.