The 8th International Conference on Human Rights was held at Airlangga University from August 11–13, 2025. The event commenced with an academic writing workshop facilitated by the British Academy. The workshop featured two speakers from the British Academy’s Birmingham Law School at the University of Birmingham: Georgia Antonopoulou and Joao Moreira. Only 20 selected participants were invited to the workshop, including Rosnida Sari, a lecturer from the Sociology Department at the University of Jember.
The main event was the 8th annual International Conference. While the first five conferences were held at the University of Jember, the organizers later agreed to rotate the host among different universities. The 6th conference took place at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), the 7th at Brawijaya University, and this year, the 8th was hosted by the Faculty of Law at Airlangga University in Surabaya. This year’s event was a collaborative effort, organized by the Faculty of Law at Airlangga University, the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, the Association of Human Rights Lecturers (SEPAHAM), the Centre for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Migration (CHRM2) at the University of Jember, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), and the Consulate-General of Australia in Surabaya.
The conference, which drew participants from various countries, was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, Mugiyanto, and closed by the Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Anis Hidayah. In addition to panels featuring speakers from different nations, the event included a plenary session with renowned international lecturers and researchers. The plenary speakers were John Roosa from the University of British Columbia in Canada, Grace Chang from San Diego University in the United States, Elisabeth Kramer from the University of Sydney, Catherine Renshaw from Western Sydney University, and Tamer Moris from the University of Sydney.
Two lecturers from the Sociology Department at the University of Jember participated in the conference. Rosnida Sari presented on the second day with a paper titled “Digital Activism: Raising Awareness for Gen Z in Amnesty International University of Jember.” Hery Prasetyo, a doctoral student at the University of Sydney, presented his research titled “Conservative Governance in a Liberalizing World: Indonesia Village in the Reform Era.”
Beyond sharing research, the conference provided a valuable platform for lecturers and researchers to network and discuss topics of mutual interest. In one session, a researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) inquired about the research methodology used in one of the presentations. The atmosphere was convivial and informal, with laughter and friendly conversations mingling with serious discussions. The event fostered a sense of camaraderie, moving beyond a formal classroom setting.
The next conference will be held at Universitas Sebelas Maret in Solo in 2026. Hopefully, the Sociology Department at the University of Jember will be able to send its lecturers to participate again next year. See you in Solo!