Semarang, September 24, 2025 — The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University (FISIP UNDIP), once again opened an international academic forum through the Visiting Professor Online program entitled “Gender Politics and Online Dating.” The event served as a platform for critical discussion of the phenomenon of online dating in the digital era, viewing it not merely as personal interaction but also as a socially and politically significant arena.

The program, organized by the Department of Communication Science at FISIP UNDIP through the Media, Culture, and Gender Research Cluster, featured Lik Sam Chan, Ph.D., a Digital Cultures scholar from The University of Sydney. Dr. Chan’s research focuses extensively on the intersections of digital media, gender, and culture, including the ways in which online platforms shape power relations and social representations. He emphasized that online dating applications are far from neutral; their features, algorithms, and interactions both reflect and influence broader social structures.

The event opened with remarks by Dr. Drs. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin, Dean of FISIP UNDIP, who emphasized the importance of international forums as opportunities to broaden students’ perspectives. He noted that such guest lectures provide students with critical insights for interpreting global phenomena that are deeply intertwined with everyday life.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hapsari Dwiningtyas Sulistyani, Chair of the Media, Culture, and Gender Research Cluster, highlighted the strong relevance of the theme to current social realities. “The issue of gender politics in online dating reflects ongoing social dynamics. Through academic forums like this, students and lecturers are able to critically examine and gain deeper understanding of how gender relations are produced and negotiated in digital spaces,” she remarked.

The discussion proceeded interactively, engaging hundreds of participants including students, lecturers, and researchers. Many participants drew connections between online dating issues and gender representation on social media, while also noting the influence of local cultural values in global digital practices.

Through this event, the Department of Communication Science at FISIP UNDIP reaffirmed its commitment to providing internationally oriented education that is not only theoretical but also highly relevant to contemporary challenges. This Visiting Professor Online program demonstrated that academic spaces can serve as arenas for critical reflection on social and political transformations in the digital era.

(Naomi Putri Bahari Simeon)***