About the Conference

The 2026 IFAR Conference invites critical examination of the complex relationships between state-building, economic development, and inequality in Southeast Asia. Although the region is often characterized as exhibiting moderate income inequality—lower than in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, the two regions with the highest levels globally—it nonetheless recorded higher inequality than Europe and Central Asia in 2020. Inequality levels also vary considerably across Southeast Asian countries, making the region a compelling site of inquiry for political scientists, economists, political economists, sociologists, anthropologists, and other scholars seeking to understand the dynamics of inequality under late-capitalist development.

Conference Themes

The 2026 IFAR Conference is designed to provide an open and critical platform for scholars and students of inequality to debate the causes, consequences, and complexities of inequality in Southeast Asia. More specifically, the conference will pay specific attention to the following themes:

01

State-building, economic development, and inequality

02

Economic policies, globalization, and inequality

03

State power, identity, marginality, and inequality

04

Climate change, resource politics, and inequality

05

Technological development, artificial intelligence, and inequality

06

Consequences of political and economic inequality

Non-Presenter Participant Registration

Applications are now open for non-presenter participants at the 2026 IFAR Conference. Registration fees vary based on your country of residence.

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Indonesian Participants

For citizens & residents of Indonesia

IDR 650,000/person
Full 3-day conference access
Conference materials & kit
Lunch & coffee break
Certificate of attendance
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International Participants

For attendees from outside Indonesia

IDR 1,250,000/person
Full 3-day conference access
Conference materials & kit
Lunch & coffee break
Certificate of attendance
Register as Participant

Registration fee is non-refundable. Payment must be completed within 5 days of acceptance to secure your participation.

Conference Programme

Three days of inspiring talks, networking, and knowledge exchange

09:00 – 09:05Opening Session
09:05 – 09:50Conference Convener
09:50 – 10:30Rector, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
09:00 – 09:05Chair, Sirojuddin Arif, Department of Political Science and Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
09:06 – 09:50What is Industrial Policy? Vivek Chibber, Department of Sociology, New York University
09:51 – 10:30Question and Answer Session
10:36 – 10:55Rizki Nauli Siregar, Department of Economics, Universitas Indonesia
10:56 – 11:15Inter- and Intra-Group Inequality in Eastern Indonesia: Structural Drivers and the Reproduction of Disadvantage – Umbu Reku Raya, Department of Business Administration, Universitas Nusa Cendana
11:16 – 11:35Indonesia: Increasing wealth inequality 1990-2025 – Pierre van der Eng, Research School of Management, Australian National University
11:36 – 12:00Question and Answer Session
13:31 – 13:35Chair, Febi R. Ramadhan, Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
13:36 – 13:50Cross-sectoral policy coordination across education, child protection, and social welfare sectors -- Woro Sulistyaningrum, Deputy for the Coordination of Improving the Quality of Children, Women, and Youth, Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Kemenko PMK)
13:51 – 14:05Inclusive education, violence prevention, and child safeguarding mechanisms at the school level -- Vivi Andriani, S.T., M. Sc, Kepala Biro Perencanaan, Kementerian Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah (Kemendikdasmen)
14:06 – 14:20Separation of children from their families – Gregorius Hadiyanto Nitihardo, SOS Children's Village Indonesia
14:21 – 14:35Independent Researcher (To be confirmed)
14:36 – 14:50Discussant, Tati Lathifatud Durriyah, Faculty of Education and Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
14:51 – 15:15Question and Answer Session
13:31 – 13:35Chair, A'an Suryana, Department of Political Science, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII)
13:36 – 13:50How Does Political Regime Change Affect Economic Performance: Evidence from Comparative Cases in Southeast Asia – Faishal Aminuddin, Department of Political Science, Brawijaya University
13:51 – 14:05From Mobilization to Marginalization: Islamism and Inequality – Luthfi Makhasin, Department of Political Science, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
14:06 – 14:20Inequality, Marginalization, and the Idea of Development in Riau – Wahyu Prasetyawan, Department of Dakwah Management, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
14:21 – 14:35Gender and Coastal Marginality: Socio-Economic Impacts of Coastal Environmental Change on Women in Central Java – Laila Alfirdaus, Department of Government, Universitas Diponegoro
14:36 – 15:15Question and Answer Session
13:31 – 13:35Chair, Aulia Nastiti, Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Monash University, Indonesia
13:36 – 13:50Digital Financialization and the Reproduction of Social Inequality: A Study of Paylater, Algorithmic Scoring, and Platform Governance in Indonesia – Achmad Boys Awaluddin Rifai, Independent Researcher
13:51 – 14:05Generative AI and Educational Inequality: Postcolonial Patterns in Indonesia's Labor Market – Andreas Harnindito, Human Computer Interaction, Umeå University
14:06 – 14:20Examining Transit Equity in Emerging Megacities: Evidence from the World's Largest BRT Network – Alyas Widita, Urban Design Program, Monash University, Indonesia; Deden Rukmana, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Texas at Arlington; and Guntur Pamungkas, Universitas Terbuka
14:21 – 14:35Glitching the State: Sapphic Resistance, Algospeak, and the Xenofeminist Politics of Technology in Indonesia -- Tuhfatul Assalamah, Universitas Airlangga
14:36 – 15:15Question and Answer Session
13:31 – 13:35Chair, Atmaezer H. Simanjuntak, Institut for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya, Jakarta
13:36 – 13:50Producing Inequality Beyond Borders: Indonesia's Trade Diplomacy and the Politics of South-South Economic Integration from Southeast Asia -- Rachmasari Nur Al-Husin, Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia
13:51 – 14:05Beyond Growth: How State Economic Policies Reproduce Gendered Financial Inequality -- Vianida Hardiningsih, The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, The Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia
14:06 – 14:20Handloom Carbon Credits? An assessment of Healthy Halo Markets in India and Indonesia -- Apurva Bandodcar, Goa Business School, Goa University
14:21 – 14:35The Political Economy of the Carbon Market in Indonesia -- Rizal Shidiq, Leiden Institute for Area Studies, Leiden University
14:36 – 15:15Question and Answer Session
13:31 – 13:35Chair, Perdana Putri Roswaldy, Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Monash University, Indonesia
13:36 – 13:50Mainstreaming Climate Objective into Developmental Planning: Policy Lessons from Sumatra's Land-Use Governance -- Esa Bayu Rianto, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, and Kusdarmawan Nur Ilham, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
13:51 – 14:05When Floods Are Not Natural: Social Media Anger and the Politically Produced Disaster in Sumatra -- Fuat Edi Kurniawan, Dialogue Empathy Ecology Peace EnGender
14:06 – 14:20Climate Crisis, Human Safety, and Livelihood Inequality: Stories from People with Disabilities in Facing Climate Crisis Effects in Indonesia -- Sekarini Wukirasih, Department of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada
14:21 – 14:35Disaster Governance and the Political Economy of Climate Inequality: Evidence from the Special Region of Yogyakarta -- Rayhan Fasya Firdausi, Jemput Suara
14:36 – 15:15Question and Answer Session
15:45 – 15:50Chair, Muhammad Ridha, Institut for Advanced Research (IFAR) – LPEM, Universitas Indonesia
15:51 – 16:05Fiscal Decentralisation or Political Centralisation? Re-evaluating the "Solo Model" -- Ofita Purwani, Universitas Sebelas Maret
16:06 – 16:20From Court Rituals to Plebeian Theatre Politics: Ritualized Power in Yoon, Suharto, and Marcos -- Hojai Jung, Dongguk University
16:21 – 16:35Regeneration or Privatization? A Preliminary Critical Agrarian Study of Indonesia's Brigade Pangan Program -- Ahmad Fajar Maulana, Universitas Gadjah Mada
16:36 – 16:50The Political Sociology of State Formation and Inequality: Elite Capture, Post-Colonial Institutionalism, and The Political Economy of Privilege -- Shaza Khalid, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
16:51 – 17:30Question and Answer Session
15:45 – 15:50Chair, Jeff Eden, Department of History, Northwestern University
15:51 – 16:05Religious Authority, Social Capital, and Political Inequality: Power and Access in Muslim-Majority Regions in Southeast Asia -- Syarifah Huswatun Miswar, Central China Normal University, Universitas Sunan Gresik
16:06 – 16:20Weaving Justice from the Grassroots: The Leadership of Ibu Nyai in Transforming Community Health Services through Local Wisdom in Indonesia – Romlah, Pusat Pengembangan Psikologi dan Konseling Berbasis Pesantren
16:21 – 16:35Religious Institutions as Agents of Environmental Justice: A Case Study of the #TutupTPL Movement in North Sumatra -- Eikel Karunia Ginting, Faculty of Theology, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana
16:36 – 16:50Charity, Carbon and Control: Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia's Palm Oil Climate Frontier -- Fitrilya Anjarsari, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Diponegoro
16:51 – 17:30Question and Answer Session
15:45 – 15:50Chair, Febi R. Ramadhan, Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
15:51 – 16:05All for the Family: Women Heads of Household and the Heteronormative Family in Indonesia – Mirna Nadia, Department of Sociology, Northwestern University
16:06 – 16:20The Neopatrimonial Trap: How Perceived Organizational Politics and Relative Deprivation Drive Subjective Underemployment among Women Professionals in Southeast Asia – Fatimah, Universitas Gadjah Mada
16:21 – 16:35Who Can Claim Maternity Leave? State Power and Stratified Social Rights in Indonesia -- Devita Dinah, University of Melbourne & Universitas Gadjah Mada
16:36 – 16:50The Managerial Capture of Social Reproduction: Mapping The "Care Fetish" in Indonesia's NGOized Landscapes -- Emily Octavia, Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia and Putri Latiefa Rachma, Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia
16:51 – 17:30Question and Answer Session
15:45 – 15:50Chair, Sofyan Ansori, Institut for Advanced Research (IFAR), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
15:51 – 16:05Green-fixing and Manufacturing Inequality: Predatory Capitalism Practices in Bantaeng Industrial Park, Indonesia -- Dhien Favian Aryanda, Department of Politics and Government, Universitas Gadjah Mada
16:06 – 16:20De-risking for Whom? A Critical International Political Economy Review of the "Just Transition" Paradox in Indonesia's JETP -- Inggrid Mustikawati, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University Jakarta
16:21 – 16:35The Unjust Transition: A Systematic Review of Social and Environmental Impacts of Indonesia's Nickel Downstreaming Policy -- La Ode Vidino Islamy Shaqban, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII)
16:36 – 16:50An Analysis on the Economic Impact of Environmental Industries in Major ASEAN Countries -- Yoomi Kim, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
16:51 – 17:30Question and Answer Session
15:45 – 15:50Chair, Ridwan al-Makassary, Center of Muslim Politics and World Society (COMPOSE) and Department of Political Science, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
15:51 – 16:05The Forgotten Ones: Community Resilience After The 1999 Sambas Malay-Manduranes Conflict -- Lulu Musyarofah, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII)
16:06 – 16:20Peace with/in community development: Refugees' Realities in Northern Thailand's Borderland -- Malang Cilangasan, Peace Department, Payap University
16:21 – 16:35Special Autonomy Without Protection: Indigenous Identity, State Power, and Persistent Inequality in Papua – Nila Warda, Asep Kurniawan, Dyan Widyaningsih, and Sylvia Andriyani, the SMERU Research Institute, Jakarta
16:36 – 16:50Security in the Name of Development: State Power and the Securitization of Indigenous Land in the Awyu Case, Indonesia -- Bima Hafizhan, Indonesia Defense University
16:51 – 17:30Question and Answer Session

Organizing Committee

The 2026 IFAR Conference is organized by the Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) in collaboration with IFAR Atma Jaya University, IFAR LPEM UI (Lembaga Penyelidikan Ekonomi dan Masyarakat, Universitas Indonesia), IFAR Monash University Indonesia, and the Center of Muslim Politics and World Society Studies (COMPOSE) of the Faculty of Social Sciences, UIII.

Conference Convenors

Meet the convenors leading the IFAR ICCI 2026 Conference

Sirojuddin Arif

Sirojuddin Arif

Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR)

Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia

Sirojuddin Arif is the Head of the MA in Political Science Program, and a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII). He was a Fulbright Scholar and earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University, USA. He holds an M.Sc. in Social Anthropology from the University of Oxford, UK, and an MA in Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta. Before joining UIII, he taught politics and research methods at the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah. His research interests focus on comparative politics, politics of development, and religion and politics. His works have appeared in Politics and Policy, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, Comparative Sociology, Journal of International Development, Journal of Development Perspective, and IDS Bulletin.

Gde Dwitya

Gde Dwitya

Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR)

Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia

Gde Dwitya is a faculty member in the MA in Political Science Program, and a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII). He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University, where he was an Arryman Scholar in the Equality, Development, and Globalization Studies (EDGS) program. Before joining UIII, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Buffett Institute of Global Affairs and a visiting lecturer in the American Studies program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). His research examines political regimes, environmental politics, and state policies on religion. His works have appeared in Muslim Politics Review, Studies in Transition States and Societies, Jurnal Penelitian Politik, Kawalu, Lembaran Sejarah, and Journal of Bali Studies.

Conference Partners

In collaboration with leading research institutions

IFAR Monash University Indonesia

IFAR Unika Atma Jaya

IFAR LPEM Universitas Indonesia

COMPOSE Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia

Latest Announcements

Stay updated with important dates and information

DeadlineApril 30, 2026

Early Bird Registration Closing Soon

Take advantage of early bird rates for conference registration. Deadline is approaching!

Call for PapersMay 15, 2026

Extended Submission Deadline

Paper submission deadline has been extended. Submit your research abstract and full paper now.

UpdateApril 10, 2026

Programme Schedule Released

The complete conference schedule is now available. Check the Programme section for details.

ImportantApril 5, 2026

Accommodation Booking Available

Special rates for conference attendees at partner hotels. Book now to secure your accommodation.

Venue & Location

UIII CampusUIII Campus

Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia

Jl. Raya Bogor No.KM 33, RW.5, Cisalak, Kec. Sukmajaya, Kota Depok, Jawa Barat 16416

How to Get There

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By Air

Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (60 min)

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By Train

Gambir Station (60 min)

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By Car

Free parking available on-site

Nearby Hotels

  • The Margo Hotel (5 km)
  • Savero Hotel (5 km)