Congratulations to Dr. Ika Idris on Her Open Society Fellowship
Dr. Ika Idris, an Associate Professor at Master of Public Policy and Management Program
We are proud to announce that Dr. Ika Idris, an Associate Professor at Master of Public Policy and Management Program, Monash University Indonesia, has been selected as a 2025–2026 Open Society Fellow. This prestigious fellowship, awarded by the Open Society Foundations, recognizes 31 public intellectuals from across the Global South who are advancing critical thought and driving meaningful social change.
Dr. Ika Idris is one of the five fellows chosen from Indonesia. Her fellowship project will explore how geopolitical rivalries influence the disinformation ecosystem on environmental issues. Her work aims to uncover how global powers influence local environmental narratives and policies. These findings will contribute to the academic understanding of disinformation in environmental issues and provide practical insights for policymakers in Indonesia and beyond. "This project is a continuation of my previous work with Monash Data & Democracy Research Hub in monitoring hate speech and disinformation during the Indonesia
election. While the 2019 election saw hate speech rooted in ethnic and religious identity, the 2024 analysis reveals a shift toward narratives targeting foreign labor and economic influence, highlighting how political discourse adapts to shifting socio-economic tensions."
The Open Society Fellowship program identifies and supports individuals with bold ideas and a commitment to shaping public discourse. Fellows will join a global network of changemakers working at the intersection of scholarship, activism, and public engagement. The 2025–2026 cohort includes fellows from cities that are centers of intellectual and cultural dynamism: Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei.
We congratulate Dr. Ika Idris on this outstanding achievement and look forward to supporting her important work throughout the fellowship.
Dr. Ika Idris has been selected as 2025–2026 Open Society Fellow. Image source: Open Society Foundations.
About the Open Society Fellowship
Launched by the Open Society Foundations, the fellowship supports visionary individuals who engage critically with key social and political challenges in their communities and beyond. It seeks to elevate voices from the Global South and foster a global conversation about the future of open societies.