Dear visitors and readers,
My name is Mahbi Maulaya, currently a master’s student in security studies at Kansas State University, United States.
I was born and raised in Bangkinang, a small city in one of Indonesia’s provinces called Riau. I attended my elementary, junior, and high school there. After graduating, I moved to Yogyakarta, where I pursued my undergraduate studies in international relations at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. In my fifth semester, I got the opportunity to have a student exchange program in Castellon de la Plana, Spain, for one semester. As I obtained my bachelor’s degree, I spent several months helping my previous lecturer, Dr. Zain Maulana, as his assistant. After that, I went to my hometown, Bangkinang, to further support a local media, Kampartra Post. Several months later, I moved to Jakarta to have an internship program at the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (EKONID) and at the Indonesian Defense Ministry. The latter was the last institution I served prior to my departure to the US to pursue my graduate studies as a Fulbright scholar.
My graduate studies journey allows me to encounter various sources and acquire an abundance of knowledge. This website is a personal project I created to document and share the knowledge I gain throughout it. As I move through courses, research, and readings, I want to capture the ideas, debates, and insights that shape my academic journey—not only as a way to preserve them for myself but also to make them accessible to others who might find them useful.
My goal is twofold: first, to build a living record of what I am learning so I can revisit and reflect on how my understanding grows over time; and second, to contribute to a broader community of learners, researchers, and anyone interested in the topics I study: security studies. By sharing summaries, reflections, and critical notes, I hope to make complex ideas more approachable and to spark conversations that go beyond the classroom.
Ultimately, this website is about cultivating knowledge as a shared resource. Graduate studies are demanding, but they are also deeply rewarding when ideas are exchanged and tested. I want this space to reflect that spirit of openness and dialogue, and I hope it becomes not just a record of my own learning but a bridge toward collective growth.
If you want to know more about me, find and download my curriculum vitae below.
Warm regards,
Mahbi