The Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FISIP UI) organized a national conference titled "Indonesian and Global Democratic Challenges in the Era of Oligarchic, Digital Politics, and the Climate Crisis" on Friday (10/10) at the FISIP UI Campus, Depok. This forum became a crucial platform to dissect the complexity of the country's political dynamics post-2024 Election.
Dr. Phil. Panji Anugrah Permana in his remarks emphasized that political science plays a vital role in providing in-depth analysis of ongoing phenomena. According to him, the three main issues—oligarchy, digitalization, and climate change—are real challenges that demand concrete solutions so that democracy in Indonesia can run more inclusively and openly for civil society participation.
The discussion then continued to the threat of the digital space, presented by Prof. Ika Idris, PhD from Monash University. Although information technology expands public access, she warned that the digital space has also become fertile ground for disinformation, hate speech, and political polarization. Ika cited examples of how natural resource issues, such as nickel in Sulawesi and North Maluku, are often twisted by global interest narratives that weaken public trust in the state.
Meanwhile, Irwansyah, PhD, highlighted the close link between oligarchy and the climate crisis. He emphasized that public policies in the energy and environment sectors are often dictated by power structures controlling natural resources, such as palm oil and coal. As a result, the direction of development tends to favor the interests of major industries instead of ecological sustainability or long-term public welfare.
To build a resilient democracy, experts agreed that strengthening digital literacy, public education, and democratizing the energy transition are urgent agendas. Climate policy must also position local communities as the main subjects, not just complements to technical discourse, so that the democratic system remains relevant amidst global crises.
