Prof. Kamanto Sunarto, S.H., Ph.D.

After performing his roles as a full-time lecturer in the Sociology Department since 1968 until his retirement from the Civil Service in 2006, Kamanto Sunarto is at present  Professor Emeritus  at the University of Indonesia. He was born in Purwodadi-Grobogan, Central Java, on July 3^rd 1941. He obtained his bachelors degree in law (SH)  from the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Indonesia in 1966 and his Ph.D degree from the Department of Education, the University of Chicago in 1980. He took part in a Sociology of Development Training Seminar in New Delhi (1968) and was visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley (1970-1971) and at the State University of New York at Buffalo (1995). He also took part in a 10-year joint teaching and research project between the Faculty of Social  and Political Sciences  and the University of Groningen.   

During his academic career Kamanto Sunarto held various positions at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences  such as Vice Head of the Bureau of Educational Administration, Chair of the Sociology Department, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Lab Coordinator at the Social Science Interuniversity Center (PAU-IS-UI), Secretary and later Coordinator of the Social Science Graduate Program, and Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP-UI). Between 2001 and 2006 he was elected as Chair of the Council of Professors of the University of Indonesia (DGB-UI). He was for more than 20 years actively involved in the development programs of the Directorate General for Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Culture where he once served as member and Secretary of the Consortium for the Social Sciences and later as member of the Social Science Disciplines Commission and Higher Education Research Council. He was appointed by the President of the Republic of Indonesia as member of the National Research Council (DRN) for two consecutive 5-year terms.

During his career as a lecturer he  had also taught in other faculties in the University of Indonesia,  in other public post-secondary institutions such as the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Jakarta Institute of Teaching and Education (IKIP Jakarta), Syarif Hidayatullah State Institute for Islamic Studies IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah), Open University (UT), Immigration Academy,  the Navy Staff and Command School, (SESKOAL) as well as in private post-secondary institutions such as Trisakti University and the Dewantara Entrepreneurial Academy (AWD).

He has since 1974 published various books and articles, such as (with co-authors Miriam Budiardjo and D.H. Assegaff): "Indonesia", in Jogesh Atal (ed.), Social Sciences in Asia (1974),  Pengantar Sosiologi: Suatu Bunga Rampai (editor, 1985), "Introduction" in Ian Roxborough: Teori-teori Keterbelakangan (translated by Rochman Achwan, 1986),  "Sosiologi" in Mannase Malo (ed.), Perkembangan Ilmu Sosial di Indonesia sampai Dekade 80-an (1989), "Bunuh diri: tinjauan beberapa ahli terhadapnya" in Kamanto Sunarto (ed.), Pokok Pokok Pikiran Durkheim (1989),  Pengantar Sosiologi (1993), "Indonesia" (with William Cummings and Manasse Malo) in A. Postiglione and Grace Mak (eds.), Higher Education: An International Handbook and Reference Guide (1997),  "Magang pada Pak Selo: Pengalaman Tahun Pertama" in Desiree Zuraida and Yufrina Rizal (eds.), Pokok-pokok Pikiran Selo Soemardjan (1993),  Sosiologi Kelompok (1992), Sosiologi Kesehatan (2001), Multicultural Education in Indonesia and Southeast Asia: Stepping into the Unfamiliar  (with co-editors Russel Hiang-Khng and Achmad Fedyani Saifuddin, 2004), with Hans Lapoliwa and Sutejo: Glosarium Sosiologi (2004), “Overcoming Conflict" (Volume 2): Peace and Development Analysis in Nusa Tenggara Timur” (edited by Melina Nathan and comments by Suprayoga Hadi, 2005), James M. Henslin: “Sosiologi dengan Pendekatan Membumi” (translator, 2007), and articles and book reviews in OPTIMIS, Jurnal Penelitian Ilmu Ilmu Sosial, Antarwidya, Jurnal Ilmu Ilmu Sosial, Jurnal Sosiologi Indonesia, Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.

As a senior lecturer, Kamanto Sunarto took part in various national as well as international seminars, workshops, and conferences. He had presented papers in various countries such as India, the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Brunei Darussalam. He was member of the Comparative and International Education Society since 1974 and was active in the  Indonesian Sociological Association. In 1965 Kamanto Sunarto obtained a citation of appreciation from the Minister of Public Works and Energy. He was twice awarded a Dwidya Sistha  medal by the Minister of Defense and Security (1986 and 1988), and the Karya Satya XXX Republik Indonesia medal by the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

He was in 2003 appointed by the Minister of National Education as member of the National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (BAN-PT). Following his mandatory retirement from the Civil Service at the age of 65 he became in 2006 Chair-elect of the agency for a period of five years. He was in 2008 co-opted as Board member of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN).