Jurnal Kawistara
Jurnal Kawistara aims to explore elements of Indonesian culture and society by publication of research findings and scientific innovations that are practically relevance for the preservation of local culture, environmental sustainability, social cohesion and community welfare. Jurnal Kawistara seeks to publish a balanced mix of high-quality theoretical or empirical research articles, case studies, review papers, comparative studies, and exploratory papers. In particular, Jurnal Kawistara looks for academic works that show the implication of social studies on practical issues concerning culture, environment, social cohesion and community welfare. Jurnal Kawistara also accepts papers from the discipline of natural science and technical studies that emphasize on social dimension of humanity issues. We invite critical and applied inquiries into wide range of sub-topics including but not limited to the following: 1. Culture (a unique study of performing arts and classical culture, traditional from various regions in Indonesia, and modern cultural arts such as dance, fine arts, and music art also includes the study of Indonesian literature on classical and contemporary literary issues) 2. Religion (Study of comparative religion, study of pluralism and religious diversity in Indonesia) 3. Media (Cultural studies and media, New Media and Contemporary Societies) 4. Gender (Urban Culture, Gender bias, and gender inequality) 5. Public policy (extractive public policies, distributive public policies, and regulative public policies) 6. Development (economic and social development, urban and regional development) 7. Environment (customs, social and environmental, land and natural resource utilization) 8. Disaster (local wisdom and social culture, disaster management, community empowerment, survival and humanity, disaster and social emergency response organizations) 9. Tourism (ecotourism, tourism management, religious tourism, urban tourism, and cultural tourism) Other disciplines (engineering, natural science, arts) that emphasize on their implication on social and humanity issues. All accepted manuscripts will be published both online and in printed forms. The journal publishes three thematic issues per year, namely April, August, and December.
Articles
421 Documents
Between Educational Freedom and Technocratic Trap: The Philosophical Implications of the Merdeka Belajar Policy in Indonesia
Yuliantoro, Moch Najib;
Murtiningsih, Siti;
Budiani Trisakti, Sonjoruri
Jurnal Kawistara Vol 16, No 1 (2026)
Publisher : Universitas Gadjah Mada
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DOI: 10.22146/kawistara.117800
This article examines the Merdeka Belajar policy as a value-laden practice within Indonesia’s education reform, emphasizing its philosophical and cultural implications for primary and secondary education. Rather than treating the policy as a technical innovation, this study explores the underlying values, assumptions, and normative tensions that shape its orientation. The study employs a qualitative approach through conceptual and philosophical analysis based on policy documents, educational philosophy, and contemporary social theory. The analysis focuses on how the policy frames educational freedom, pedagogical autonomy, and the relationship between education and culture. The findings indicate that Merdeka Belajar holds emancipatory potential in promoting pedagogical autonomy, contextual learning, and student-centered education. However, it also reveals tensions between educational freedom and technocratic tendencies, which may reduce education to an instrumental function. This study highlights that Merdeka Belajar should be understood as a cultural project that integrates pedagogical flexibility with ethical and cultural orientation, contributing to social cohesion and community well-being.