UNAIR NEWS – Ethnography Museum and Center for Death Studies or commonly known as Death Museum is one of the most interesting trend marks from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Airlangga. The museum exhibits all about death rituals and traditions in Indonesia, the Department of Anthropology manages this unique building in UNAIR.
The establishment of the museum was motivated by an interest in the study of Physical Anthropology, which is the only one in Indonesia. It is different from Anthropology study programs at other universities, UNAIR Anthropology Department provides two specializations, Socio-Cultural Anthropology and Physical Anthropology.
Head of the Department of Anthropology, Pudjio Santoso, Drs., M.Sosio, revealed that the two specializations were opened to facilitate students who want to take a particular focus of study.
While Socio-Cultural Anthropology focuses on human socio-cultural variables, the study of Physical Anthropology focuses on studying human biological variation, so it is related to forensic science.
This advantage is also supported by the teaching staff of the department who are both theoretical and practical experts. It is not surprising that UNAIR Anthropology lecturers are often involved in police forensic activities to identify victims of accidents and crimes that are difficult to recognize.
Furthermore, many UNAIR Anthropology lecturers are also part of the joint team of ancient relics discovery. Most recently, UNAIR Anthropology expert who is also the pioneer of Indonesian Forensic Anthropology, Toetik Koesbardiati, was assigned to identify skeletal findings at the Kumitir Site, Mojokerto, which are believed to be relics of the Majapahit era.
The Department of Anthropology also expanded its role through community service activities. “This year, for example, we are collaborating with the Situbondo Health Office to carry out anthropometric measurements in order to help health workers analyze and identify stunting rates,” he explained.
The department has complete facilities that can be used not only to study humans and their socio-culture, but also the level of health, nutrition, disease, and the psychology of community in an area.
In facing the pandemic, the Department of Anthropology is accelerating academically by adding eight courses to support the specialization of Physical Anthropology. Likewise, with the Freedom of Learning program initiated by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
“Our student internships are extraordinary. Instead of decreasing during the pandemic, the number of internship applications have actually increased, especially when the internship program has now integrated in courses, “he explained.
In terms of the learning model, the Department of Anthropology tries to direct it to the case method, where course material is directed at case analysis, which is very useful if students are involved in the field.
It is certainly in line with the vision of the Department of Anthropology, which directs its graduates to be researchers, development planners, community development planners, practitioners, and educators. It is not surprising that UNAIR Anthropology graduates are now spread across various levels of work at the national and international levels.
With the standards of excellence that the Anthropology Department has, Pudjio hoped that the younger generation of Indonesia will be more interested and understand the important value of Anthropology. “Sometimes I say anthropology is a “greedy” science. We study health, social, cultural, ecology, even to the bones. But Anthropology offers solutions and studies that are so broad for human life, “he concluded. (*)
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
