In this episode, host Francine Barchett speaks with Dr. Dwi Noverini Djenar, an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Indonesian Studies Department at the University of Sydney. Her talk focuses on the linguistic features found in Indonesian broadcast news interviews. She shows that when sensitive topics are being discussed, the interview participants and audience may co-create "exonerative accounts," which free the speakers or audience of blame or guilt on that particular topic. She reveals examples of “exonerative accounts” through clips from a popular Indonesian political commentary podcast. Throughout the episode, listeners will hear Dr. Djenar’s passion for the sounds and beauties of not only the Indonesian language but also other languages. Lightning Round: 3:26

Research and fieldwork summary: 11:29

Advice for researchers and recommendations: 40:09

Dr. Djenar's Top Recommendations: 

• Other Indonesians: Nationalism in an Unnative Language  by Joseph Errington
• Systemic Silencing: activism memory and sexual violence in indonesia by Katherine E. McGregor

The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.