About Mestika Zed

Mestika Zed, born (1955) in Batuhampar, Payakumbuh, West Sumatra, Indonesia, is a lecturer in History Department at State University of Padang (UNP Padang) and also former Head of History Departement at Andalas University Padang  (1992-1995).

Graduated in History from Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta (1980), he then continued his study to Post-Graduate Programme (M.A.) at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (1981-1983) and completed his Pascasarjana (S2), equivalent Program of M.A. at University of Indonesia, Jakarta (1983-1984). He obtained his Doctor in History from Niet Westerse Geschiedenis department, Faculteit der sociaal-culturele wetenschapen, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (1991).

He is currently the Director of Pusat Kajian Sosial Budaya dan Ekonomi (PKSBE -Center for Socio-Cultural and Economic Studies), Faculty of Social Sciences, State University of Padang and acting as the Chairman of Board of Editors of Tingkap, a social sciences journal. In 1993 he was awarded as Fulbright Visiting Scholar in South Asia Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

He also actively participates in a number of domestic and overseas seminars, some of his works have been published in Jurnal Sejarah (Jakarta, 1986), Journal of Asian and African Studies (Tokyo, 1989), Prisma (Jakarta, 1995), Jurnal Budaya Genta Budaya (Padang, 1996). He is the editor of and one of contributors for Perubahan Sosial di Minangkabau (1992); Co-author of Sumatra Barat di Panggung Sejarah 1945-1995 (1996), and one of his works “Dualistic Economy of Palembang in the Late Colonial Period” was published in T. Lindblad (ed.), Historical Foundation of A National Economy of Indonesia (1996). Mestika Zed was a founder and Chairman of Masyarakat Sejarawan Indonesia (MSI), the West Sumatra (1993-1995; 1995-2001).

Currently, he is one of the Editors of  the Project of Rewriting National History of Indonesia and actively involved in academic endeavors (lectures, research, seminars and writing books), he was also known as a NGO activist who is dealing with advocacy for local community enpowerment and democratization peocesses.