DEPOK,
The Graduate Program in Communication Studies at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia, will hold a doctoral defense in Communication Studies on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. WIB, at the Juwono Sudarsono Auditorium (AJS), Building F, 2nd Floor, FISIP UI Campus, Depok. This doctoral defense will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Ricardi S. Adnan. The dissertation is supervised by Dr. Eriyanto, with Prof. Nyarwi Ahmad, Ph.D., serving as co-supervisor. The examination committee consisted of Prof. Burhanuddin Muhtadi, Ph.D., Meidi Kosandi, Ph.D., Dr. Nina Mutmainnah, Dr. Ummi Salamah, and Dr. Niken Febrina Ernungtyas.
During the defense, Isni Hindriaty Hindarto successfully defended her dissertation titled “Social Media Platform-Based Political Celebritization: A Case Study of Celebrity Candidates on TikTok in the 2024 Election.” This dissertation examines how celebrity candidates build political authority through social media platforms, particularly TikTok, in the context of the 2024 general election in Indonesia. This research stems from the phenomenon of an increasing number of celebrities entering the political arena.
In her academic speech, Isni emphasized that contemporary politics cannot be separated from the workings of the media. “Modern politics is no longer separate from the media. The media has evolved into an institution with its own logic and rules of the game, so political actors adapt their strategies to the logic of the media,” Isni explained. Isni also emphasized that celebrity candidates cannot simply rely on the fame they’ve already accumulated. “Celebrity candidates don’t just rely on their existing fame; they actively and systematically navigate the process of establishing political authority,” she explained.
This dissertation presents a Social Media Platform-Based Political Celebritization (SP-PMS) model as a new theoretical framework for understanding how political authority is constructed, evaluated, and negotiated within digital platform environments. This study also highlights the “authenticity paradox”—a situation where candidates are expected to appear relatable, spontaneous, and in line with the platform’s culture, yet must simultaneously demonstrate seriousness, consistency, and credibility as political actors. The more intensely candidates utilize platform logic to gain public attention, the stronger the audience’s scrutiny of their political sincerity and suitability becomes. At the conclusion of the defense, Isni Hindriaty Hindarto was declared to have passed with honors (Cum Laude). With this graduation, Isni officially earned the 167th Doctor of Communication degree and is also recorded as the 87th female doctor in the field of Communication from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia. (MAP)
