Semarang (17/10) – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro has held a Studium Generale by Religion Political Study X the Aru-Team on Media and Its Influence on Extremism. The activity, which took place on Monday, October 17, 2022, was held in the Auditorium Room 3rd floor of FISIP Undip Tembalang building at 12.30 GMT+7 and was attended by the Dean of FISIP Undip, Drs Hardi Warsono, M.T., Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr Teguh Yuwono, M. Pol. Admin., and Vice Dean for Resources, Ika Riswanti Putranti, S.H., M.H., Ph.D. This stadium generale presented several speakers such as Dr Muhammad Adnan, M.A (Expert on Religion and Politics, Department of Politics and Government Studies, FISIP Undip), Ika Puspita Sari (Ex-Terrorism Convict/Deradicalization Partner), and Rt. Tasya Ismaya Putri (Religion and Political Study).

In her material, Tasya said that one of the causes of extreme movements was the cutting of God’s verses or the teachings of a religion. In addition, this FISIP Undip Bachelor of Government Studies student also explained social media and its influence on extremism as well as how algorithms greatly influenced our behaviour on social media.

Furthermore, Adnan also described in his material statistical data on social media users in Indonesia, which was ranked 4th in the world in 2016. The data showed the high potential for Indonesian citizens to be exposed to extremism spread through cyberspace. He also said that the most dangerous thing about extremism was that it used violence.

In this stadium generale, students also had the opportunity to hear the life story of an ex-terrorism convict about her experience in knowing terrorism. In her explanation, Ika described how she first learned about this concept when she worked as a TKI (Indonesian Worker) in Hong Kong and how she was finally free from this extremism.

“Don’t let all of us here be exposed to the teachings of the world of terrorism, for it is hard to get out of it,” said Ika at the end of her story.