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    • Idhamsyah Eka Putra: A Leading Social Psychologist in Southeast Asia



    Dr. Idhamsyah Eka Putra (known as Idham Putra) is a Leading Social Psychologist in Southeast Asia from Indonesia. He is a (tenured) Faculty in the Psychology Graduate Programs at Persada Indonesia University and in 2024 was Adjunct Professor at Universitas Sumatera Utara. Since 2019, He is (honorary) Research Fellow for the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict (CRIC) and since 2022 a Research Affiliate for the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion (CSSC), University of Oxford. He is also director of Division for Applied Social Psychology Research since 2017.
    Idham Putra is known for his extensive research in prejudice, intergroup relations, violent extremism, religious fundamentalism, and mass atrocities. His work has contributed significantly to understanding the psychological mechanisms behind hate, harm, and reconciliation in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia. He has introduced 3 theoretical frameworks, including Meta-prejudice (Putra, 2014; 2017), Human nature/essence approach (Putra et al., 2018; 2021), and recently TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts (Idham Putra et al., 2024), which provide new insights into how individuals and groups engage in and justify violence.
    Together with Sarlito W. Sarwono and Eko A. Meinarno, Idham Putra co-founded the Konsorsium Psikologi Ilmiah Nusantara (KPIN), a psychological community that facilitates academic activities in Indonesia.


    Biography


    Idhamsyah Eka Putra completed his education from primary school to his master's degree in Indonesia. He earned a Doctorate with distinction in Social Psychology from Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria (2015), under the supervision of Wolfgang Wagner.
    Through Wagner, Idham Putra was introduced to the concept of Societal Psychology, a social psychological perspective that focuses on understanding and addressing social problems within specific cultural contexts, highlighting how these contexts influence people’s thoughts and behaviors. Wagner also trained Idham Putra to master both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
    After earning a PhD from Johannes Kepler University in 2015, Idhamsyah Eka Putra chose to return to Indonesia for several reasons. While he aimed to focus on academia, he was also aware of the challenges associated with working in Indonesia, particularly the lack of systemic and ecosystem support, such as a well-established scientific community.
    Most universities in Indonesia are primarily teaching-oriented institutions. Although many have articulated a vision of becoming research universities, in practice, their structures and priorities remain heavily focused on teaching. Research projects, based on Idham Putra's experience, are often applied in nature or conducted upon request, making it difficult to generate substantial scientific contributions.
    Despite these challenges, Idham Putra sought to demonstrate that productivity in research is possible even within a constrained academic environment. He has consistently published his research in accredited, peer-reviewed journals every year since 2013, underscoring his commitment to scholarly excellence.


    Academic Contributions and Theoretical Frameworks


    Idhamsyah Eka Putra's research primarily explores the basic and applied social psychology of good and evil, with a focus on topics such as prejudice, (Islamic) violent extremism, religious fundamentalism, intergroup relations, social stigma, social exclusion, and intergroup conflicts. Throughout his academic career, he has developed three theoretical frameworks: Meta-Prejudice, the Human Nature Approach, and, most recently, TOPASC (Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts). His geographical area of expertise encompasses Asia, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia.
    A central theme in his work is understanding why individuals and groups engage in hate, harm, and prosocial behaviors. To address these questions, he has sought to develop skills that integrate theoretical research with practical applications for solving social problems and to master both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. These efforts have been demonstrated through various collaborative research projects, some of which are detailed below.


    = 1. Meta-Prejudice and Prejudice

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    In the study of prejudice, Idham Putra introduced the concept of Meta-Prejudice, which explores how individuals believe others, as part of the group, prejudicing others. There are two processes of Meta-Prejudice: Ingroup Meta-Prejudice and Outgroup Meta-Prejudice. In short, Ingroup Meta-Prejudice refers to the perception that one's ingroup harbors prejudice against the outgroup, whereas Outgroup Meta-Prejudice refers to the perception that the outgroup harbors prejudice against the ingroup.
    This meta-belief mechanism has been shown to play a crucial role in shaping intergroup perceptions and behavior. Research on religious groups has validated this concept, leading to its publication in esteemed scholarly journals (Putra, 2014, 2016; Putra & Wagner, 2017). Expanding on this work, Idham Putra has recently examined the intersection of Meta-Prejudice and beliefs about human nature, investigating whether a belief in the fundamental goodness of human nature can mitigate group-based hatred and meta-hatred (i.e., the belief that the outgroup hates the ingroup). Initial findings from research on Muslim majority groups suggest that religious fundamentalists who endorse the belief that human nature is inherently good exhibit lower levels of outgroup hatred (Putra et al., 2023).


    = 2. (Re-)Humanization and the Human Nature Approach

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    Between 2014 and 2015, Idham Putra initiated a project on (re-)humanization and the Human Nature Approach, influenced by the broader question of what motivates individuals to act with kindness and moral integrity. His research has shown that when individuals are primed to view human nature as inherently good and kind, they tend to perceive others more positively.
    This research aligns with philosophical debates on human nature. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) argued that humans are naturally good but can be corrupted by external influences, while Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) maintained that humans are inherently self-interested and driven by a desire for power. Idham Putra’s empirical investigations suggest that priming individuals with Rousseau’s perspective can reduce stigmatization and prejudice.
    In his earlier study, he examined whether reminding participants of the fundamental goodness of human nature could counteract the negative effects of social stigmatization (Putra et al., 2018). He then further explored the connections between beliefs in human goodness, prosocial values, justification of violence, human identity, and intergroup unity in Indonesia and the United States (Putra et al., 2021). Recent findings also indicate that belief in human goodness can moderate the influence of religious fundamentalism on outgroup hatred (Putra et al., 2023).


    = 3. Mass Atrocities, Massacres, and Genocide

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    Around the same time as his Human Nature Approach project, Idham Putra expanded his research to examine the psychology of mass atrocities and genocide. While psychological research on genocide has extensively covered events such as the Holocaust (e.g., Bilali & Vollhardt, 2019; Leach et al., 2013), Southeast Asian cases have been largely overlooked. His research aims to understand systematic mass killings and their justification processes in Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar, particularly how denial and justification narratives function to avoid accountability for human rights violations.
    In this field, Idham Putra has conducted empirical studies, particularly on cases in Indonesia (Putra et al., 2018, 2019) and Myanmar (Putra et al., 2021). His most recent work has led to the development of TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts (Putra et al., 2024, Personality and Social Psychology Review). The TOPASC model posits that:

    Mass violence against targeted groups is driven by psychological processes in intergroup contexts.
    These intergroup processes are shaped by socio-historical contexts and expressed through individual psychology.
    Through the case studies analyzed, the research demonstrates that social groups with different ideologies, ethnicities, genders, or religions face varying degrees of vulnerability to becoming perpetrators or victims depending on their social and political status. Importantly, mass atrocities do not occur spontaneously but result from long-term processes and structural conditions.


    = 4. Jihadists, Terrorism, and Counter-Violent Extremism

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    Since 2007, Idham Putra has conducted in-depth research on religious fundamentalism, radicalization, and counter-violent extremism in the Indonesian context. His early research focused on understanding the motivations behind terrorist acts committed by Islamist extremist groups.
    Through interviews with former jihadists, his findings revealed that justifications for terrorism are based on three primary beliefs:

    Indonesia is perceived as being in a state of war, thereby justifying defensive attacks.
    Suicide bombing (or "syahid" bombing) is considered an honorable and noble act.
    The West is viewed as an aggressor against Muslim nations, with the Indonesian government perceived as a corrupt ally.
    These findings have been published in the Asian Journal of Social Psychology (Putra & Sukabdi, 2013; see also Milla et al., 2019). Building on this foundation, his research since 2015 has focused on counter-violent extremism (CVE) programs, not only targeting perpetrators of terrorism but also addressing the rehabilitation and social reintegration of their family members (e.g., Cherney et al., 2021; Putra et al., 2017, 2018; Rufaedah & Putra, 2018).


    = 5. Religious Movements, Interreligious Relations, and Persecution

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    Idhamsyah Eka Putra has also been involved in multiple projects examining religious movements and interreligious relations in Indonesia. During the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial election, he analyzed how religious narratives were mobilized to justify violence against specific religious and ethnic groups (Putra, 2016).
    One of his studies involved conducting interviews with participants of the 2016 'Muslim Peace Rally,' which led to violent clashes during the Jakarta gubernatorial election. The findings indicated that protesters were less likely to support violence when political leaders promoted peaceful narratives, whereas accusations of blasphemy increased support for political violence. (Putra et al.,2021).


    Impact and Recognition


    Idhamsyah Eka Putra’s research has had a significant impact beyond academia, influencing counter-violent extremism programs in Indonesia. He has worked on projects that seek to understand the motivations behind radicalization and develop interventions to prevent extremism. His expertise in Southeast Asian intergroup conflicts has made him a key figure in scholarly discussions on peace psychology and conflict resolution.
    He is also a co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, representing Asian scholars in a field often dominated by Western perspectives. This role highlights his commitment to advancing psychological research in non-Western contexts and ensuring that Southeast Asian social issues are given global academic attention.


    Awards



    During his tenure at Persada Indonesia University (Universitas Persada Indonesia) from 2015 to the present (2025), Idham Putra has received three awards.
    In 2017, in recognition of his significant contributions to psychological research and its dissemination in Indonesia, he was awarded the Sarlito W. Sarwono Award by the Konsorsium Psikologi Ilmiah Nusantara (KPIN).
    In 2022, Idham Putra was honored by the Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia (MURI) for being the first Indonesian scholar to publish scholarly papers in accredited, peer-reviewed, Scopus-indexed scientific journals consecutively from 2013 to 2022. This achievement highlights his dedication and prolific contributions to the field of social psychology.
    In 2024, he was recognized as one of the seven best researchers in Indonesia, an honor awarded by the Indonesian Researchers Association (Perhimpunan Periset Indonesia / PPI). He was the only awardee from the Social Sciences and Humanities field.


    References




    External Link


    CRIC - Idhamsyah Eka Putra
    Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion (CSSC)

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