Konvergensi Simbolik Komunitas Pageant Lovers Indonesia di Instagram

Perkembangan dunia beauty pageant di Indonesia tidak terlepas dari peran pecinta kontes kecantikan yang dikenal dengan sebutan pageant lovers. Media sosial Instagram menjadi salah satu kanal bagi komunitas pageant lovers untuk berinteraksi dan berkomunikasi, melalui akun portal pageant. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konvergensi simbolik komunitas pageant lovers Indonesia di Instagram berdasarkan teori konvergensi simbolik. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah observasi terhadap caption dan kolom komentar pada unggahan akun portal pageant, serta wawancara dengan tiga narasumber dari tiga akun portal pageant berbeda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konvergensi simbolik komunitas pageant lovers muncul secara spontan dari anggotanya, dan digunakan secara luas melalui Instagram. Beberapa bentuk konvergensi simbolik yang muncul adalah mbak brownies, turun gunung, dan negara topi bundar. Dari penelitian ini, dapat disimpulkan bahwa konvergensi simbolik yang terjadi dalam komunitas pageant lovers Indonesia di Instagram sesuai dengan teori konvergensi simbolik yang ada, yakni melalui proses tema fantasi, rantai fantasi, tipe fantasi, dan visi retoris. The development of beauty pageants in Indonesia cannot be separated from the role of beauty pageant contest lovers known as pageant lovers. Instagram has become one of the channels for the pageant lovers community to interact and communicate through pageant portal accounts. This study aims to understand the symbolic convergence of the Indonesian pageant lovers community on Instagram based on symbolic convergence theory. The research method used is the observation of captions and comments on pageant portal accounts and interviews with three sources from three different pageant portal accounts on Instagram. The results showed that the symbolic convergence of the pageant lovers community emerged spontaneously from its members and was widely used through Instagram. Several forms of symbolic convergence that occurred were “mbak brownies”, “turun gunung, and “negara topi bundar”. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the symbolic convergence that occurs in the Indonesian pageant lovers community on Instagram is following the existing symbolic convergence theory through the process of fantasy themes, fantasy chains, fantasy types, and rhetorical visions.

Exploring the Funds of Knowledge with 108 Guatemalan Teachers

Using a reflective exercise designed for this study, Guatemalan educators explored their students’ and their own cultural capital. The cultural capsule exercise served as a vehicle to bring delicate issues that are difficult to discuss, but that are essential to effective schooling, to reflective conversations. A total of 108 teachers went beyond identifying problems and detailing frustrations, to exploring possibilities for action. Participants converged in sharing perspectives that Guatemala is a culture of silence, and used examples to illustrate how this perpetuates the limitations of the country’s schoolhouse. Findings reveal the teachers were challenged to focus on what can be accomplished. Qualitative data analyzes, conducted using symbolic convergence theory to establish recurrent and idea generation, suggest a need for further examination of how the sociocultural educational mandates delimit teachers’ ability to adjust the curriculum in consideration of learners’ funds of knowledge. Keywords: teachers’ voices, cultural capital, funds of knowledge, reflective educators, diverse indigenous cultures of Guatemala Resumen Docentes de una comunidad de Guatemala examinaron el capital cultural de sus estudiantes y de si mismos, usando un ejercicio desarrollado para este estudio. El ejercicio de la cápsula cultural sirvió de vehículo para aportar a la conversación temas que, aunque delicados y difíciles de aproximar, son esenciales para establecer sistemas escolares efectivos. Un total de 108 maestros compartieron y detallaron sus frustraciones, y comenzaron a explorar cambios que ellos mismos podrían llevar a cabo. Los participantes convergieron en sus ideas para verificar sus puntos de vista que Guatemala es una cultura de silencio. Ellos ofrecieron ejemplos que detallaron el por qué, este silencio perpetúa y limita la escolarización. Datos cualitativos, documentados usando la teoría de la convergencia simbólica, se usaron para establecer temas que se repitieron y generaron ideas. Investigaciones futuras han de examinar el contexto educacional y sociocultural que evidentemente delimita cómo en Guatemala los maestros y sus estudiantes se desenvuelven en las escuelas, y consideran sus fondos de conocimientos. Palabras Claves: voces de los maestros, el capital cultural, educación liberatoria, culturas indígenas de Guatemala

Understanding Hezbollah symbolism through symbolic convergence theory

This article applies symbolic convergence theory (SCT) to the type of symbolism used by Hezbollah, a Shia terrorist organization. By and large, SCT posits that sharing group fantasies contributes to symbolic convergence. The success of symbolic convergence hinges on three important concepts: symbolic cue, fantasy type and saga. An example of a symbolic cue is Hezbollah’s yellow-and-green logo that symbolizes global militancy against infidels. In regards to the organization’s fantasy types, eight of them were identified (e.g. Al-Quds Day, definition of enemies and individual self-sacrifice). Apropos of Hezbollah’s sagas, two figureheads, Ruhollah Khomeini (the Grand Ayatollah in Iran) and Hassan Nasrallah (the current Hezbollah leader), have become idols of worship by hundreds of thousands of Hezbollah members and millions of Shia Muslims. An important conclusion is that events can be more important for their symbolism than their very happening or existence. Hence, through symbolism, Hezbollah can strike a chord within its followers so as to produce significant change in the world.

Fantasy Themes of Marine Retiree Group

The research applied symbolic convergence theory as the main theories, with the subjective- interpretive paradigm. Through a qualitative approach, this study was conducted by using fantasy themes analysis. The subjects of this study were members of Marines retiree who lives in Tanah Baru and Rangkapan Jaya Baru, Depok. The object of this research was the aspect of communication in the form of verbal and nonverbal symbols of Marine retiree group members in expressing their fantasy themes. Thirteen informants were chosen as the sample with purposive and snowball sampling techniques. This study aimed to find and identify the fantasy themes of Marine retiree group through elements of setting, character, and action. The results show that the story of Marine retiree group is a bridge that connects the experience of the retired members of the Marines in the events of the past with the present time.

Pemaknaan Lokal terhadap Teks Global Melalui Analisis Tema Fantasi

This study focuses on exploring the use of Fantasy Theme Analysis for examining local interpretation on global media texts, particularly the way in which Indonesian girls interpret Disney princesses. The main theory used in this research is Symbolic Convergence Theory in which the theory is used as a tool to analyze the chain of meanings. This research uses fantasy themes analysis as the method of analysis. The results indicate that the girls perceive the beauty images constructed by Disney as ideal. Consequently, they have negative perception to the dominant physical characteristics of Indonesian women.Keywords: beauty codes, fantasy themes analysis, feminine codes, local meaningsAbstrak: Penelitian ini fokus pada eksplorasi penggunaan analisis tema fantasi untuk melihat pemaknaan lokal terhadap produk global melalui interpretasi anak perempuan di Indonesia terhadap film putri Disney. Teori utama yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Teori Konvergensi Simbollik dengan analisis tema fantasi sebagai metode. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa anak-anak perempuan menempatkan konstruksi kecantikan oleh Disney sebagai kecantikan yang ideal, sehingga mereka cenderung memiliki persepsi negatif terhadap karakteristik fisik dominan yang dimiliki oleh sebagian besar perempuan Indonesia.Kata Kunci: analisis tema fantasi, kode feminin, pemaknaan kecantikan, pemaknaan lokal