About Muhammad Rhaka Katresna

Portrait of Muhammad Rhaka Katresna

I am an AuDHD scholar, artist, and activist. My work lives at the intersection of decolonization, disability rights, and peacebuilding. I believe that neurodivergent perspectives are essential to creating a world that is truly just and peaceful.

Scholar

I am currently a Master’s student at the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies (CRCS), Universitas Gadjah Mada. My research is supported by the LPDP disability affirmative scholarship.

My scholarship focuses on the decolonization of religion and the arts. I am deeply interested in how colonial power structures influence our understanding of faith and creativity. To challenge these structures, I use decolonial methodologies and community based research. I aim to create knowledge that is accessible and compassionate for the communities I study.

Artist

As an artist, I utilize arts based research and performative writing to explore social issues. I view the stage and the page as laboratories where we can test decolonial ideas in real time.

My current projects involve community based theater in Garut, West Java. I explore how performance can bridge the gap between religious traditions and social advocacy. For me, art is a vital part of scholarship. It is a method of personal and collective liberation that allows us to imagine new ways of being together.

Activist

My activism is built on the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) framework. I believe that peacebuilding is only effective when it is inclusive and led by those at the margins. Currently, I serve as the organizer of KAMI DAMAI Indonesia and a member of the Regional Executive Body of the ASEAN Youth Forum. I also serve as the Secretary of the Supervisory Board for Inti Muda Indonesia.

I was recognized as a Southeast Asia Young Leader on Preventing Violent Extremism (PCVE) by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). My work focuses on creating strategies for peace that protect the agency of youth and marginalized groups. Beyond these formal roles, I volunteer in many grassroots and faith-based communities. Through these efforts, I aim to connect global policy with local, lived experiences to foster a more compassionate world.

Contact & Collaboration

I am always open to discussions regarding decolonization, neurodiversity, and peacebuilding.

Affiliations: CRCS UGM, KAMI DAMAI Indonesia, ASEAN Youth Forum, Inti Muda Indonesia.
Location: Garut / Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Email: halo@rhaka.web.id

Hello World: A Space for Decolonial Thought and Action

Welcome to rhaka.web.id . This digital space is more than just a blog. It is a laboratory where my identities as a scholar, an artist, and an activist come together. For a long time, I have looked for a way to connect these three roles. I realized that they all share a common goal. That goal is the work of decolonization . Why Decolonization? In my academic journey at CRCS UGM, I study how colonial history still shapes our understanding of religion and the arts. Many of our ideas about what is "sacred" or what is "beautiful" are influenced by colonial power structures. I want to challenge these structures. I believe that decolonization is not just a theory. It is a practice. It requires us to listen to voices that have been pushed to the margins. It asks us to rethink our methodologies and our ways of being in the world. The Intersection of Art and Activism As an artist, I use community based research and theater to explore these ideas. Performance allows us to fee...

Rhaka Katresna

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