Challenges and Hopes: a Woman as an Academic in the International Relations program

Karawang, Indonesia- In the era of Globalization with the development of education and technology, the public is witnessing an increase in awareness of gender equality, especially in the study of International Relations. 

Increased awareness of gender equality can be seen from the increasingly open opportunities for women to have careers to get strategic roles and the achievements of female academics in publications. One of the factors that encourage this is the privilege obtained by an academic. This privilege has automatically created an understanding of gender equality in the academic environment, making it easier for colleagues to understand each other and create an equal and healthy work environment.

This was spoken directly by Prilla Marsingga, S. Sos., M. I.Pol, Lecturer in Gender and Sexuality at University of Singaperbangsa Karawang when asked about the challenges of being a female lecturer in International Relations studies, on Thursday (28/03/2024). 

"As a female lecturer, in the academic world, at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, I think awareness of gender equality is quite high. Because we are individuals who already have privileges. Privileges in the academic world, which in my opinion here are equal opportunities for women and men, we are equally developing each other career-wise and so on."

Talking about gender equality is not far from the discussion of feminism. Before the existence of feminism, historically, the study of International Relations was considered less accessible to women and very masculine.

Prilla Marsingga revealed "Theoretically, for the application of theory in International Relations, it is often more masculine. for example, the perspective of the state is too masculine, while this feminist perspective then opens up opportunities for new thinking in post-positivism, that all foreign policies can be seen not only from masculinity." 

Prilla Marsingga also highlighted that the existence of feminism is a new breakthrough for teaching Gender and Sexuality in globalization.

 "Talking about sovereignty, talking about power, and soft or high power are all masculine. But here feminism makes a new approach. Yes, that's what is also new for teaching in Gender and Sexuality in globalization." 

The importance of understanding gender equality must be pursued. In the context of teaching Gender and Sexuality studies in International Relations, according to Prilla Marsingga, this is an interesting thing for students, because it is a relevant issue, in our daily lives. 

"So teaching students, we just share and discuss how to respond to a patriarchal world," she said.

For women who have an interest in a career in International Relations, they must be willing to contribute directly to society. Not only understanding theoretically about gender discourse but also taking part in providing socialization to those who do not have access. 

"We must continue to learn and then try to introduce it, for example through socialization, we can also do so - so that people who may not have access and privileges like us, we who have privileges as academics, try to get out so that - we have what is called service as lecturers, inviting students to go to the community, providing education such as for example early childhood must know sexuality early to prevent them from experiencing sexual violence, gender-based violence physically or online, toxic relationships between adult couples, teenagers in high school can also provide socialization socialization so that everyone can get access." said Prilla.

Women must get access to education, careers and opportunities to influence global policies. 

In the context of education, Prilla said that the declining illiteracy rate has become good news for Indonesia, which shows that the education system is starting to be evenly distributed but there is still a need to increase literacy for women. Then in the career field, women have the right to maintain their careers and both men and women must be literate in education. Third, for global policy, Prilla mentioned a female figure who has influenced global policy, Retno Marsudi, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs.