R. Hariyani Susanti

Profile

I am a doctoral researcher in Sociology and Social Policy, with a focus on the intersections of modesty, gender norms, and women’s empowerment in contemporary Islamic communities in Indonesia. My work investigates how cultural and religious values shape women’s lived experiences and the ways in which agency is expressed within frameworks of piety and resistance. Before beginning my PhD, I completed a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature at Universitas Brawijaya and a Master’s in Literary Studies at Universitas Indonesia. Since 2020, I have been a civil servant lecturer at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, while also teaching at Universitas Terbuka, Universitas Persada Bunda, and Universitas Riau.

In addition to my academic roles, I have worked as a translator and interpreter affiliated with the Himpunan Penerjemah Indonesia (HPI) since 2019. I also taught Bahasa Indonesia to foreign speakers (BIPA) in Madagascar through an online program in 2022. I have presented at international conferences in Finland, the UK, Thailand, and Indonesia, and I have received multiple national and international scholarships and research grants, including from LPDP, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Universitas Indonesia, and the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Research interests

My research explores the intersections of gender, culture, and power, particularly how Muslim women in Indonesia navigate modesty norms, religious values, and social expectations in ways that reflect both resistance and adaptation. I am drawn to questions of how agency is expressed in everyday life, often beyond the boundaries of Western feminist paradigms. My work is informed by Islamic feminism, intersectional feminism, and sociological theories of embodiment and subjectivity, with a strong emphasis on culturally grounded methodologies.

Beyond theoretical inquiry, I have published widely on feminist literary criticism, gendered representations in media, ecofeminism, and gender-responsive pedagogy. My interdisciplinary background enables me to connect literature, education, and gender studies in both academic and community-based contexts. I am especially interested in how texts (whether literary, visual, or curricular) can empower critical thought, promote empathy, and challenge structural inequalities.

Qualifications

• Master of Humanities (M.Hum.) in Literary Studies, Universitas Indonesia
• Bachelor of Arts (S.S.) in English Literature, Universitas Brawijaya
• MAN Insan Cendekia Gorontalo