invited Speakers

Prof. Dr. Philip Seaton 🇯🇵

Philip Seaton is a Professor at the Institute of Japan Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan. He holds a DPhil in Media and Cultural Studies from the University of Sussex. His research focuses on Japanese war memories of the Asia-Pacific War and tourism inspired by popular culture (contents tourism). He is the (co-)author or (co-)editor of seven books, including Japan's Contested War Memories (Routledge, 2007), Contents Tourism in Japan (Cambria Press, 2017), New Frontiers in Japanese Studies (Routledge, 2020), and War as Entertainment and Contents Tourism in Japan (Routledge, 2022). He has also guest-edited special issues of Japan Forum and Journal of War & Culture Studies.

Najwa Abdullah Nadia, Ph.D 🇳🇱

Najwa Abdullah Nadia is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Media Studies and the Amsterdam School of Cultural Analysis (ASCA), University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from the National University of Singapore, where her dissertation examined the aesthetics and ethics of Muslimness in contemporary Indonesian cinema. Her current research explores Muslim-based environmental movements in Indonesia as part of the broader project Eco-Islam in Indonesia: Media, Institutions, Public. Her work has appeared in leading academic journals and regional media platforms including ISEAS Fulcrum and TODAY.

Prof. Sojin Kim, Ph.D. 🇰🇷

Sojin Kim is Head Professor of the Department of Animation at the International College, Dongseo University, South Korea. She holds a PhD in Design from Dongseo University and an MFA in Animation & VFX from the Academy of Art University, USA. With over a decade of international industry experience as a 3D Artist, her work spans major films, games, and cinematics across the U.S. and South Korea. Her research focuses on 3D modeling education, stylization, and generative AI in digital content creation. She serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the Korean Society of Design Culture.

Foong Soon Seng, ph.d 🇲🇾

Foong Soon Seng holds a PhD in English Literature and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. His research interests include feminist writing, women’s studies, ecofeminism, Malaysian literature in English, and colonial and postcolonial literature. He has over 15 years of teaching experience in English literature, research methodology, academic and research writing, and ESP. He also has over 10 years of university administrative experience, having served as Deputy Dean and Head of the Master of Philosophy Programme. He is currently Managing Editor of SARE (Southeast Asian Review of English).

Herdiana Hakim, Ph.D 🇮🇩

Herdiana Hakim is a lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities at Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia. She holds a PhD in Children's Literature and Literacies from the University of Glasgow, UK, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). A published novelist as well as an academic, her research has appeared in international journals and edited volumes. She recently received the Global Honor Award from the Children's Literature Association (USA), recognizing her significant contributions to the field.

Aristarchus Pranayama Kuntjara, Ph.D 🇮🇩

Aristarchus Pranayama Kuntjara teaches in the Visual Communication Design Study Program, the International Program in Digital Media, and the Graduate School of Design at Petra Christian University, Surabaya, Indonesia, where he serves as Head of the Visual Communication Design Department. He holds a PhD in Visual Contents from Dongseo University, South Korea, with a focus on authenticity in immersive cultural storytelling. With over two decades of experience in visual arts and design education, his research explores hybrid physical–digital experiences, human-centered design, digital heritage, and the use of AI and emerging technologies in art and design practice.

Inaya Rakhmani, Ph.D 🇮🇩

Inaya Rakhmani is Associate Professor of Communication at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia. She holds a PhD in Asian Studies (Media) from the Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, Australia. She was the Lead Advisor of the university's Asia Research Centre (inaugural director, 2020–2025). She is an elect member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) and honorary member of the Indonesian Young Academy of Sciences (ALMI). Drawing on cultural political economy and comparative analysis, her research examines capitalist development in Indonesia and Asia. She is completing a monograph for Palgrave MacMillan (2026) and serves as co-editor of the Journal of Contemporary Asia.

Dr. Meilinda 🇮🇩

Meilinda is a lecturer and theatre practitioner in the English for Creative Industry Program and the Artistic Director of Petra Theatre at Petra Christian University, Indonesia. Her research focuses on digital humanities, digital theatre, transmedia storytelling, and creative writing. She holds a Doctorate in Communication and Media from Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia and was a visiting scholar at Pompeu Fabra University, Spain. Through her research and artistic practice, she explores how digital technologies reshape storytelling, performance, and cultural participation.

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