Cultural Narratives

How is the Elderly Minority Discursively Marginalized? A Multimodal Analysis of Ageism in The Intern (2015)

Haqikoh Ukhrowiyah — Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Media representations significantly shape societal perceptions of aging, often marginalizing older adults within youth-centric environments. Although ageism is widely discussed in media studies, there remains a lack of research applying a systemic functional multimodal framework to examine how implicit age-based biases are discursively constructed and challenged in popular cinema. To address this gap, this study investigates how Ageism is represented both linguistically and visually in the film The Intern (2015). The objective is to uncover how age-based stereotypes and marginalization are constructed through multimodal discourse. Using a qualitative descriptive design, the study adopts Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) as the main analytical frameworks. A total of 41 linguistic clauses and 37 visual data shots were selected from eight key scenes. The analysis of the linguistic data focused on transitivity and mood, while the visual data were interpreted using Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar. Findings show that material, relational, and mental processes are dominant in representing Ageism, with younger characters often positioned as active agents and the elderly as passive or outdated figures. Declarative and interrogative moods reveal implicit judgments and doubts toward older individuals. Visually, Ageism is represented through marginal framing, color contrast, and symbolic positioning that reinforces social distance. While the film initially depicts ageist perspectives, it gradually subverts them by portraying the elderly character as competent, valuable, and eventually accepted in a modern workplace. This study is limited to selected scenes and does not include other semiotic elements such as background music or paralinguistic features. Future research could expand the scope by incorporating these aspects. In conclusion, the film offers both a critique and a reinforcement of ageist ideologies, inviting reflection on how older individuals are perceived and valued in contemporary media and workplace culture.

Beyond Seduction: Intimate Apparel as a Tool for Identity Construction and Empowerment Among Gen Z Women

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study explores the role of intimate apparel in shaping the identity, sexuality, and self-expression of Generation Z women. Additionally, this study investigates how intimate apparel functions as a tool for empowerment, body positivity, and self-care, in contrast to its traditional perception as a symbol of seduction. Using qualitative ethnographic methods, this study draws data from participant responses and media analysis to examine how personal preferences influence self-confidence, self-esteem, and social perceptions. The analysis in this study is specifically grounded in Michel Foucault’s concept of “technologies of the self” as well as the framework by Jantzen, Østergaard, and Vieira (2006), which positions underwear as a practical instrument for women to autonomously control bodily performance and manage their psychological experiences and identities. Findings mapped through the Quadrant Matrix Diagram indicate that the majority of Gen Z women position themselves in the “Empowerment and Self-Affirmation” quadrant. For this majority group, underwear serves as an extension of identity and internal strength that liberates them from the dominance of the male gaze. Nevertheless, the findings also reveal a dual impact. While underwear holds great potential as a medium for resistance and self-actualization, some Gen Z women still face pressures stemming from cultural obligations, anxiety regarding stigma, and oppressive beauty standards resulting from social media idealization. This study emphasizes the transformative nature of underwear as a medium for self-definition and advocates for a continuous shift in cultural narratives to normalize inclusive representation. By challenging stereotypes, underwear can continue to evolve as an expression of individuality, authenticity, and agency.

Tracing Aristotelian Friendship Dynamics in John le Carré’s Agent Running in the Field

Muhammad Taufiq Gani Putra, Adeline Grace Marianne Litaay — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This research discusses the types of friendship that are shown in John le Carre’s Agent Running in the Field and how the friendships impacting the lives of the main characters, Nat and Ed. The research analysis uses the theory of friendship by Aristotles discussed in Lorraine Smith Pangle’s Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship as the theoretical review, with thematic approach as the analysis model, exstrinsic research approach using moral approach, and qualitative research design. According to the research’'s findings, there are two types of friendships in Agent Running in the Field that fits Lorraine Smith Pangle’s interpertation of Aristotles’s theory of friendship: friendship of pleasure and friendship of virtue. As for the impact of Nat and Ed’s friendships to their lifes, Nat starts to have doubts over his government who he has served for years, and he got interrogated and scapegoated after MI6 finds Ed handing over intellegence to a Russian spy, before being coerced to either turn Ed in to prison or make him a double agent who serves Britain more. For Ed, he become less guarded, he meet Florence through Nat, who eventually become his fiance, and he is able to unkowingly escape from his fate of being imprisoned or becoming a double agent. The research’s limitation is that of the potrayal of friendship in John le Carré’s Agent Running in the Field and the impacts of friendship between Nat and Ed in John le Carré’s Agent Running in the Field on their lives. The research concludes in what are the types of friendship depicted in John le Carre’s Agent Running in the Field, and how it affecting the lives of the two friends.

The Dynamics of Power Relations and Resistance Typology in Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7

Farhan Iqbal Prasetyo — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The dynamic between governmental power and social movements is a recurring theme in historical cinema, exemplifying the persistent struggle against systemic authority. The Trial of the Chicago 7 vividly portrays this friction through the unequal relationship between the Nixon-era government and the Anti-Vietnam War Social Movement. Although power and resistance in cinematic narratives are frequently explored, limited research systematically integrates Michel Foucault’s concepts of power relations with Hollander and Einwohner’s multi-dimensional resistance typology to dissect the specific, underlying nature of these historical conflicts. Therefore, this study aims to examine the complex power dynamics and classify the resulting acts of resistance depicted within the film. Employing a qualitative descriptive method, the research analyzes the film's visual narrative and its script, evaluating the data through Foucault’s framework and Hollander and Einwohner’s three core resistance parameters: the actor's intent, the target's recognition, and the observer's recognition. The analysis identifies eight explicit instances of governmental power exertion (five by government officials and three by law enforcement) designed to suppress the movement's morale. In response, the study classifies 16 distinct acts of resistance based on the three parameters: nine instances of overt resistance, three of target-defined resistance, one of external-defined resistance, one of attempted resistance, and two instances of missed resistance. These results demonstrate that a repressive, Panopticon-like governmental power inevitably triggers complex, systemic forms of resistance from activists. At last, the study highlights that resistance is not monolithic. It is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped entirely by who intends it and who recognizes it within the social arena.