FIP UNU Jogja and Densus 88 Collaborate to Prevent Radicalism Through Digital Literacy

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - The Faculty of Education (FIP) of UNU Jogja, in collaboration with the Counter-Narrative Subdirectorate of the Prevention Directorate of Densus 88 Anti-terror, held a Writing Class on Counter-Narratives to Radicalism and Terrorism. The program aims to strengthen students’ understanding in responding to issues of intolerance, radicalism, extremism, and terrorism (IRET) through written media.

The program was conducted in a hybrid format. The online session was held on Saturday, May 31, with the theme “Kontranarasi Anti Basi.” Meanwhile, the offline session took place on Wednesday, June 4, at the UNU Jogja campus, where participants discussed digital security systems and counter-narrative strategies against IRET.

Thirty-two selected students from various study programs at UNU Jogja actively took part in the writing class.

The activity was facilitated by a teaching team from UNU Jogja—namely the Dean of FIP, Mustagfiroh Rahayu, Murdianto, and Muhammad Rofiqi—and a team from Densus 88 led by the Special Staff to the Head of Densus 88 Anti-Terror for Literacy and Media, Khoirul Anam.

“This program included writing practice, manuscript review, and training in producing and analyzing counter-narrative content. The students were very enthusiastic; even in the online class they remained actively engaged in dialogue,” said Mustagfiroh Rahayu.

In addition, participants received hands-on training on efforts to counter the spread of radical narratives on social media. The material covered the creation of creative content grounded in national values and tolerance.

Muhammad Rizki, a Primary School Teacher Education (PGSD) student who took part in the program, hopes it can broaden perspectives.

“I want to be able to respond to narratives that target moderate groups on social media in an appropriate and well-argued manner,” he said.

As a token of appreciation, active participants received a free copy of the book JI the Untold Story: Perjalanan Kisah Jemaah Islamiyah by Police Inspector General Sentot Prasetyo, S.I.K., at the end of the training session. [Latifah]