Kumoratih Kushardjanto

Dewi Kumoratih (Kumo) holds an interdisciplinary background in anthropology and visual communication design. Her research examines heritage as a negotiated field where governance, cultural policy, and future-making intersect, with particular attention to the creative economy, material culture, and heritage diplomacy in Southeast Asia.

Kumo completed her doctoral studies in Social Anthropology at Universitas Indonesia. Her research examined the implications of creative economy policies through case studies of government-initiated cooperatives for creative industry actors and local communities. She also holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the same institution and a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication Design from Trisakti University. She was also a Visiting Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, where she focused on research related to museums and maritime cultural heritage.

In parallel with her academic work, Kumo has been actively engaged in community-based cultural initiatives. She is currently active as a volunteer at the Negeri Rempah Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to public learning and literacy on historical, social, and cultural issues related to Indonesia’s diversity. This vision is articulated through the #JalurRempah (Spice Route) community movement, which functions as a platform for heritage education, research dissemination, and people-to-people cultural diplomacy. The Foundation collaborates with national and international institutions, including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). She is a co-author of Tales of the Lands Beneath the Winds: Tracing the Indonesian Archipelago’s Maritime Role in the History of Spice Trade (2020), published by the Negeri Rempah Foundation, and served as the organizer of the International Forum on the Spice Route held annually since 2019.

Before entering academia, Kumo worked professionally as a designer and producer at GELAR, a knowledge-driven social enterprise that focused on Indonesian culture. Her work encompassed performing arts productions, multimedia and television production, and community programs. Kumo also initiated a community-based travel program designed for culture enthusiasts, fostering deeper connections with local communities across various regions of Indonesia.