Critical Theory Reconstruction in the Analysis of Contemporary Popular Culture
Abstract
Abstrak
Penelitian ini mengkaji tentang teori kritis dan budaya populer merupakan dua konsep yang saling terkait dalam kajian sosial dan budaya. Teori kritis, yang berakar pada pemikiran sekolah Frankfurt, berfokus pada analisis struktur kekuasaan, ideologi, dan budaya dalam masyarakat kapitalis. Teori ini menyoroti bagaimana budaya populer, sebagai produk dari industri budaya, berfungsi untuk memperkuat status quo sosial dan ekonomi. Budaya populer, di sisi lain, merujuk pada bentuk-bentuk budaya yang diproduksi, dikonsumsi, dan disebarkan secara luas dalam masyarakat, seperti musik, film, televisi, dan media digital. Teori kritis memandang budaya populer bukan hanya sebagai hiburan semata, tetapi sebagai alat ideologis yang dapat mereproduksi dominasi sosial, memperkuat stereotip, serta memanipulasi keinginan dan persepsi publik. Melalui analisis terhadap representasi dalam budaya populer, teori ini mengeksplorasi cara-cara di mana nilai-nilai dan norma sosial dibentuk dan dipertahankan oleh media dan industri budaya. Studi ini menunjukkan ketegangan antara produksi budaya yang ditentukan oleh pasar dengan potensi resistensi yang muncul dalam karya-karya budaya populer yang bersifat subversif atau kritik terhadap sistem yang ada.
Kata Kunci: Teori Kritis, Budaya Populer, Industri Budaya, Hegemoni Budaya, Ideologi dan Perlawanan.
Abstract
This paper examines critical theory and popular culture, which are two interrelated concepts in social and cultural studies. Critical theory, which has its roots in Frankfurt school thought, focuses on the analysis of power structures, ideology, and culture in capitalist societies. This theory highlights how popular culture, as a product of the culture industry, functions to reinforce the social and economic status quo. Popular culture, on the other hand, refers to forms of culture that are produced, consumed, and distributed widely in society, such as music, film, television, and digital media. Critical theory views popular culture not just as mere entertainment, but as an ideological tool that can reproduce social domination, reinforce stereotypes, and manipulate public desires and perceptions. Through analysis of representations in popular culture, this theory explores the ways in which social values and norms are shaped and maintained by the media and culture industries. This study shows the tension between cultural production determined by the market and the potential for resistance that emerges in works of popular culture that are subversive or critical of the existing system.
Keywords: Critical Theory, Popular Culture, Culture Industry, Cultural Hegemony, Ideology and Resistance
References
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