Construction of Public Identity through a Significant Symbol of the New Social Movement (Case Study of Tengkorak band Underground Rock Music)

Abstract

As the manifestation of the new social movement in the globalization era, underground rock music is a potential form of human expression that can mobilize hearts and mind. It is a symbolic communication that can be a theme, a rallying cry, a protest around which we gather to do something about social conditions. The objectives of the research were (1) to identify about the power of underground rock music in the process of identity construction of it’s audience and (2) to identify about the social conditions that condusive to the growth of new social movement among the young generation. Methodology of study was a qualitative paradigm using a case study design. Research located in Jakarta and conducted from July 2009 to December 2010. The study’s findings indicated that at the level of Tengkorak band showed that at first the band try to imitate the music comes from abroad. After a long period of time the tendency is to incorporate into their own cultural experience. At the level of Tengkorak band’s significant symbols, study’s findings indicated that their illustration, lyrics, oration, and one finger movement implied a semiotic guerilla warfare. The emergence of three different identity among their audiences due to penetration of Tengkorak’s band significant symbols occurred at the level of audience. From the first one emerged “the grey” identity audience, from the second and third emerged the critical thinking identity audiences, and from the fourth emerged the apolitical identity audience. And, the new social movement growth at condition when there was a rapid importation of new ideas, items, and values of foreign societies that contrary to the values of local communities.

Bidang komunikasi pembangunan mengalami titik kritis terkait dengan perubahan struktur sosial, ekonomi, dan politik dalam skala global. Oleh karena itu, bidang ini harus mengalihkan perhatian, terutama dengan menggambarkan penemuan ilmu pengetahuan gerakan sosial baru dan mengkombinasikannya dengan area-area yang relevan dari komunikasi partisipatori untuk riset pembangunan. Musik rock underground, sebagai musik subkultur oposisi, merupakan manisfestasi dari gerakan sosial baru ketika simbolsimbol signifikan di dalamnya mampu memobilisasi hati dan pikiran audiensnya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memahami sejauhmana kekuatan musik rock underground dalam membentuk identitas audiensnya serta memahami kondisi seperti apa yang mendukung lahirnya gerakan sosial baru ini.