Indistinguishable Gender Ideology and the Transcendence of Bissu Gender in Bugis–Makassar Literary Representations

Nur Aina Ahmad — 2026-06-09

Indistinguishable gender ideology in literary works refers to a concept in which the roles, attributes, and social positions of female and male characters are no longer confined by traditional binary stereotypes (masculine–feminine) or biological determinism. This concept is closely related to gender transcendence, understood as an ideological meaning rooted in the internal cultural framework of Bugis–Makassar society. This study examines the representation of indistinguishable gender ideology and the transcendence of Bissu gender in modern Indonesian literature set within the socio-cultural context of Bugis–Makassar society in South Sulawesi. It analyzes how gender roles, characteristics, and issues are constructed and represented in selected literary works. Focus of research includes the shifts in gender narratives over time, the stereotypes that are reproduced or deconstructed, and the social implications of these representations. The study employs a qualitative descriptive content analysis method applied to a selection of significant novels, short stories, and poems within the canon of modern Indonesian literature. Data were collected through close reading of literary texts, identification of patterns in the portrayal of male and female characters, and thematic analysis of issues related to identity, power, and gender relations.The findings reveal that Bissu transcend conventional gender categories, integrating both masculine and feminine elements within a single embodied existence, and are regarded as cosmologically “complete” beings. In this context, Bissu do not occupy a position of gender absence; rather, they exist at a different ontological level beyond ordinary gender divisions, functioning as intermediaries between the human and the spiritual realms.

The Nexus of Digital Learning Ecosystem, Techno-Pedagogical Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Competence of Selected Public Junior High School English Teachers in Misamis Oriental: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study

Rodgen D. Palmes — 2026-06-09

This study investigated the relationship among the Digital Learning Ecosystem (DLE), Techno-Pedagogical Self-Efficacy (TPSE), and Teaching Competence (TC) among public junior high school English teachers in selected cities and municipalities of Misamis Oriental. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, quantitative data were first collected to determine the extent of DLE, the level of TPSE, and the degree of TC, as well as the relationships among these variables. Qualitative data from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were subsequently gathered to explain and contextualize the quantitative findings. Results revealed that teachers generally experienced a high extent of digital learning ecosystem support, demonstrated high techno-pedagogical self-efficacy, and exhibited outstanding teaching competence. While a significant positive relationship was found between DLE and TPSE, neither DLE nor TPSE significantly predicted teaching competence. Mediation analysis further showed that TPSE did not significantly mediate the relationship between DLE and TC, and the null model emerged as the best-fitting structural model for teaching competence. Qualitative findings indicated that teaching competence is more strongly influenced by teacher agency, pedagogical translation, learner readiness, reflective practice, adaptability, and contextual realities than by digital resources and technological confidence alone. Based on the integrated findings, the study proposed the Contextually Mediated, Agency-Driven Digital ELT Upskilling Framework for Generative Teaching Competence, which conceptualizes teaching competence as a context-sensitive and process-driven outcome shaped by the interaction of digital support, pedagogy, teacher agency, and classroom conditions.

Randwick International of Education and Linguistics Science Journal

Indistinguishable Gender Ideology and the Transcendence of Bissu Gender in Bugis–Makassar Literary Representations

The Nexus of Digital Learning Ecosystem, Techno-Pedagogical Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Competence of Selected Public Junior High School English Teachers in Misamis Oriental: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study