TY - CHAP
T1 - Fate, desire, and shame
T2 - janda in Indonesian pop culture
AU - Winarnita, Monika Swasti
AU - Mahy, Petra
AU - Herriman, Nicholas
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Research on images of femininity in Indonesia has largely focused on either the image of femininity produced by the state or, relatively, high-brow cultural forms of femininity. However, popular culture produces images of females that often stand in contrast to such symbolism. This article contends that the janda, the divorcee or widow, one of the foremost images of femininity in popular music, drama, and literature, has been, for the most part, overlooked. Seen as sexually available and lascivious, the janda represents the “fallen woman”; an object of both fascination and pity. This article analyses the janda image as one of the foremost symbols in Indonesian popular culture. It is argued that the janda image must be analysed in relation to maiden and mother images. Furthermore, culturally specific ideas of desire, fate, and shame contextualise the janda image. As will become apparent, Indonesian popular culture is patriarchal, and a heterosexual male perspective frames much of the symbolism. This means that actual women live with the very real stigma of being a divorcee or a widow in Indonesia. In this study, we focus on the janda image and include discussion of how its representation has evolved to include a cosmopolitan ideal.
AB - Research on images of femininity in Indonesia has largely focused on either the image of femininity produced by the state or, relatively, high-brow cultural forms of femininity. However, popular culture produces images of females that often stand in contrast to such symbolism. This article contends that the janda, the divorcee or widow, one of the foremost images of femininity in popular music, drama, and literature, has been, for the most part, overlooked. Seen as sexually available and lascivious, the janda represents the “fallen woman”; an object of both fascination and pity. This article analyses the janda image as one of the foremost symbols in Indonesian popular culture. It is argued that the janda image must be analysed in relation to maiden and mother images. Furthermore, culturally specific ideas of desire, fate, and shame contextualise the janda image. As will become apparent, Indonesian popular culture is patriarchal, and a heterosexual male perspective frames much of the symbolism. This means that actual women live with the very real stigma of being a divorcee or a widow in Indonesia. In this study, we focus on the janda image and include discussion of how its representation has evolved to include a cosmopolitan ideal.
KW - divorcees
KW - Indonesia
KW - popular culture
KW - widows
KW - women
U2 - 10.1007/978-981-99-5659-3_7
DO - 10.1007/978-981-99-5659-3_7
M3 - Chapter (Book)
SN - 9789819956586
T3 - Engaging Indonesia
SP - 125
EP - 143
BT - Gender, Islam and Sexuality in Contemporary Indonesia
A2 - Arnez, Monika
A2 - Budianta, Melani
PB - Springer
CY - Singapore Singapore
ER -