The Role of Music as Artivism as a Means of Conflict Resolution, presented by Marsha Widyatmodjo

This presentation aims to amplify marginalized and overlooked perspectives in peace-building by introducing the Global South’s approach to this field and focusing on the importance of diverse perspectives in peace-building. The discussion will encourage critical thinking beyond mainstream narratives that challenge existing power structures and systems through art and activism. The hope is to expose the participants to non-Western peace-building perspectives, and engage them in cross-cultural discussions with academics and students from different countries, and gain insight into the role of music and activism in conflict resolution.

Marsha Widyatmodjo is a final-year undergraduate in International Relations at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. She is strongly interested in peace and conflict studies, focusing on the intersection of culture and peacebuilding. Her research explores the role of Khmer pop music in post-conflict Cambodia, analyzing how it serves as a non-confrontational and accessible medium for fostering social cohesion and resilience. Through this work, she argues that cultural expressions like music offer a more context-sensitive and strategic approach to peacebuilding compared to traditional liberal peacebuilding models.

Marsha’s passion for centering Global South perspectives in International Relations has been a driving force behind her research. She is particularly interested in how locally rooted, culturally relevant approaches to peace-building challenge dominant, often Western-centric, frameworks and provide more sustainable solutions in post-conflict societies.

Resources: “Time to Rise” by VannDa and Master Kong Nay 

For any questions, please contact artivism@adelphi.edu.

Sponsored by Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation.