Yogyakarta, 23rd October 2025 —Media and Cultural Studies Master’s Program, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a discussion titled “Digital Inclusion: Religious Comics” as part of the Discussion Series on Media and the Politics of Representation. The event, which took place in Room 307 of the Graduate School Building, featured Dr. Leonard C. Epafras as the main speaker.
In his presentation, “An Inverted Quest: (Re)Imagining Religion through Comics and Digital Media,” Dr. Epafras explored how visual media, particularly comics, serve as alternative spaces for representing and expressing religiosity in the digital age. He explained that comics, as a popular medium, not only function as entertainment but also as discursive arenas where spiritual values, religious identities, and ideological debates are reinterpreted.
According to Dr. Epafras, digital transformation opens new opportunities for people to access, produce, and reinterpret religious narratives beyond institutional boundaries. However, he also emphasized the importance of reading these dynamics critically, as digital media can simultaneously reinforce certain biases, stereotypes, and politics of representation.
The discussion attracted students from the Media and Cultural Studies Program as well as participants from various academic backgrounds interested in issues of media, religion, and popular culture. During the Q&A session, participants discussed how digital visual works can serve as tools for interfaith education and foster new understandings of religious pluralism in Indonesia.
This event is part of the ongoing efforts of the Media and Cultural Program to cultivate an interdisciplinary academic space for exploring the intersections between media, culture, and contemporary social practices. This discussion series will encourage students and researchers to broaden their critical perspectives on the politics of representation in the digital landscape.
Author: Khoirul Mujazanah