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This study explores how social identity is constructed and represented in the promotion of traditional tuak drinking culture through the social media content of Atlas Medan, a modern lapo tuak café. Utilizing Social Identity Theory, this research investigates how cultural symbols and regional slang—particularly from Batak and Medan cultures—are employed to reinforce a local identity while appealing to a young demographic (ages 20–40). Using semiotic analysis on 50 selected Instagram posts, this study decodes how Atlas Medan merges traditional and modern elements to craft a compelling digital presence. The findings indicate that the strategic use of Batak songs, Medan slang, and community-oriented visuals fosters a sense of belonging among viewers, effectively branding the café as a hub of local cultural pride. This research contributes to a broader understanding of local identity-based branding and the role of digital media in preserving yet reinterpreting traditional cultural elements in urban settings.

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has provoked widespread global reactions, particularly in the form of economic resistance through consumer boycotts. These boycotts target Israeli-affiliated brands and multinational corporations perceived to be complicit in the occupation and oppression of Palestinians. The core issue lies in the ethical concerns of corporate involvement in human rights violations and the extent to which consumers can influence political dynamics through economic actions. This study aims to explore the global boycott movement as a form of nonviolent resistance, with a specific focus on the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign. Utilizing a library research methodology, this paper draws upon academic literature, news reports, campaign materials, and corporate statements to analyze the motivations, strategies, and impacts of boycott actions worldwide. It investigates how consumer behavior intersects with political activism, and how the digital age amplifies such movements. The research finds that boycotts serve not only as an expression of solidarity with oppressed populations but also as a tool to pressure companies and governments to reevaluate their stances and affiliations. Although the economic impact varies, the symbolic power of collective consumer action contributes significantly to shaping public discourse on global justice. This study highlights the growing importance of ethical consumerism in international relations and recommends further investigation into the legal, economic, and diplomatic consequences of sustained boycott movements.

This study explores the transformation of Moksha Patam, a traditional Indian board game rooted in spiritual and moral education, into the globally commercialized game Snakes and Ladders. Originally designed to teach concepts like karma and moksha, the game was secularized during British colonialism and later commodified in the West, losing its original cultural and pedagogical meanings. Using a qualitative library research method, the paper analyzes historical texts, colonial records, and contemporary versions to examine how the game’s symbolism has evolved. Despite widespread homogenization, modern adaptations in countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, and Iran reflect local values and current social issues, indicating the game’s ongoing relevance and semiotic flexibility. Recent efforts by Indian educators and NGOs to reintroduce Moksha Patam into schools highlight a broader movement toward cultural reclamation and decolonized education. The study underscores the need to recognize and preserve indigenous knowledge systems in modern learning environments.

This study analyzes Red Bull advertisements as a form of visual propaganda that effectively constructs a brand image associated with extreme sports, bravery, and extraordinary achievement. The background of this research lies in the phenomenon of the increasing prevalence of visual content in modern marketing strategies, which not only sell products but also embed ideologies and social identities. Red Bull was selected as the object of study due to its consistent use of visual elements rich in symbolic and connotative meaning. This research employs a qualitative approach using Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis method, along with theories of visual propaganda and social identity. The findings reveal that Red Bull communicates its message not merely through images and slogans, but also through the construction of deep connotative meanings. The slogan “Red Bull Gives You Wings” instills a sense of hope in surpassing one's limits, while the use of extreme sports figures as testimonials reinforces the product's image as a symbol of high performance. These advertisements create a modern myth in which Red Bull is associated with courage and freedom, transforming it from a mere energy drink into a lifestyle identity. In the context of social identity, consumers are not only purchasing a product but also affirming themselves as members of an adventurous, active, and daring community. Thus, Red Bull successfully builds brand loyalty through a strong and symbolic visual narrative. This research emphasizes that today’s advertisements are inseparable from ideological functions and the social constructions they visually shape.  

Istiqomah is a foundational concept in Islam that symbolizes firmness, consistency, and stability in implementing religious teachings. In the Qur'an, there are several verses that emphasize the importance of istiqomah, including Surah At-Tawbah verse 7, Surah Al-Fussilat verse 30, Surah Al-Ahqaf verse 13, and Surah Al-Jin verse 16. This study aims to analyze the interpretation of verses about istiqomah through the views of classical and contemporary mufassirs, such as Ibn Kathir. To understand its implications in the life of a Muslim. The results of the study show that istiqomah is not only related to faith in Allah, but also includes aspects of worship and morals. Istiqomah in faith means remaining firm in monotheism and avoiding shirk. In the aspect of worship, istiqomah is realized through consistency in carrying out religious obligations, such as prayer, fasting, and other righteous deeds. While in the aspect of morals, istiqomah means maintaining good values and resilience in the face of life's tests and trials. Furthermore, the interpretation of istiqomah verses also shows that people who are consistent in istiqomah will achieve peace of mind, protection from fear and sadness, and happiness both in this world and the hereafter. The conclusion of this study is that istiqomah is the key for a Muslim to achieve the blessing of life and achieve the pleasure of Allah SWT. Therefore, istiqomah should be an integral part of a Muslim's life principles in all aspects of life.

The increasing involvement of childern in criminal activitties highlights the urgent need for character education to develop future generations with strong moral integrity. This study explores the use of the Legend of Ajisaka as a medium for instilling character values and as a tool for social control. Using a qualitative library research method, the study analyzes narrative elements, symbols, and characters in the Serat Manikmaya version of the Ajisaka legend. The analysis reveals seven of the eighteen character values outlined by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, including religiousness, honesty, hard work, creativity, patriotism, social care, and responsibility. Among these, religiousness and creativity appear most prominently, depicting Ajisaka as both a spiritual and innovative figure. The findings suggest that the legend can effectively convey moral messages, strengthen cultural identity, and serve as an instructional resource in elementary school character education. The study emphasizes the dual function of folklore in not only shaping individual character but also reinforcing social norms within communities.

This photographic work showcases the everyday expriences of the punk youth community in Glugur Dara I Subdistrict, East Medan District, by employing a human interest documentation approach. The photography’s subject and main focus was the punk community, drawn from the author’s daily life in Medan City, where street musicians frequently perform at traffic intersections. The writer became interested in a set of entertainers whose looks and traits were remarkably unique—they belong to the Glugur punk community. These punk youths generally work as street performers and showcase their preferred lifestyle through punk clothing and adornments. The goal of this work is to artistically depict the symbols, attire, and identity of the punk community from a humanistic visual angle. The creative process consists of three main stages: pre-production, production, and post-production. The outcome of this project is a series of twelve photographic pieces under various titles, each capturing the punk community’s everyday life filled with freedom of expression, solidarity, and creative endeavors—highlighting their subcultural identity within an urban context.

The lack of public understanding of the cultural and historical values contained in multicultural worship buildings. Sam Poo Kong Temple in Semarang is an important object to study cultural acculturation reflected in its architecture, visual aesthetics, and historical values. This research aims to reveal how the combination of Chinese, Javanese and Islamic elements is reflected in the physical and symbolic forms of the temple. The method used is descriptive-analytical qualitative through direct observation, visual documentation, interviews, and literature study. The analysis was done thematically with architectural aesthetics and visual semiotics approaches. The results show that Sam Poo Kong Temple not only functions as a place of worship, but also as a symbol of tolerance and multicultural identity. The combination of ornaments, colors, structures, and symbols represent the values of togetherness, spirituality, and cross-cultural heritage. This temple plays an important role in strengthening social cohesion and becoming a cultural asset that supports the development of an inclusive and harmonious society.  

The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two main sacraments in the Christian tradition, both carrying profound theological and spiritual significance. A sacrament contains two essential elements: an outward sign (such as water, bread, and wine) and a spiritual reality (namely, the grace of God given through the sign). A sacrament is not merely a symbol, but a means of communion with Christ that strengthens faith and bears witness to God’s grace. In Christian theology, a sacrament is broadly defined as a rite or religious ceremony performed to symbolize or help bring about a transformation in the lives of those who participate in it. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is one of the key sacraments in the Christian tradition, symbolizing the fellowship of believers with Christ through the shared consumption of bread and wine. Its meaning is profound, as it is not only a remembrance of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, but also an expression of faith and a deep reflection on the saving love of God. The Lord’s Supper also contains an eschatological meaning, pointing believers toward the future. In each celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the people of Christ anticipate the heavenly banquet at the end of the age.  

This study is titled Nonverbal and Verbal Signs in the Music Video Forever Young by Alphaville (1984). It examines how verbal and nonverbal signs in the music video are used to represent messages about youth, time, and emotional longing through a semiotic approach. The objectives of this study are to identify the verbal and nonverbal signs used in the video and to analyze how these signs construct symbolic emotional, cultural, and philosophical meanings. The data consists of visual scenes and lyrics from the official “Forever Young” music video. Data collection was conducted through observation by listening to the song, reading the lyrics, and documenting the visuals. The analysis employs a qualitative descriptive method, applying relevant theories of meaning, visual semiotics, and color symbolism. The findings show that the music video uses a combination of affective, connotative, and conceptual meanings to convey its message. The most dominant nonverbal aspects are props, manner, and activity, while appearance and content analysis are also present with less frequency. In the verbal signs, affective and connotative meanings appear most often, reflecting strong emotional nuance and symbolic references to youth and existential reflection.

As the largest political event in Indonesia, elections are closely tied to mass political communication strategies. In the digital era, social media has emerged as a new arena for political actors to convey campaign messages. This study examines how propaganda techniques are applied in political advertisements on social media, focusing on the dynamics between manipulation and persuasion efforts targeting voters. Through a literature review of various journals and reports, this paper explores forms of propaganda, visual symbolism, celebrity involvement, and regulatory issues concerning political advertisements on social media. The findings indicate that propaganda techniques in digital ads not only appeal to voters' emotions but also create spaces for bias and misinformation that can disrupt the quality of democracy.​

Adolescence is a complex developmental stage marked by identity exploration and intense emotional changes. Teenagers often struggle to express their feelings openly, both to others and to themselves. This difficulty is exacerbated by cultural factors, lack of emotional education, and the stigma surrounding mental health, which prevent adolescents from finding a safe space to express themselves. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of the empty chair technique in building intrapersonal communication and creating a safe space for adolescent self-expression. The research method used is qualitative descriptive through a literature review. The results show that the empty chair technique from Gestalt therapy is effective in helping adolescents express inner conflicts, increase self-awareness, emotional regulation, and self-esteem, particularly among victims of bullying. This technique allows adolescents to engage in symbolic dialogue with parts of themselves in a reflective and therapeutic manner. The implications of this research suggest that the empty chair technique can be a strategic approach in school and community counseling to support the holistic psychosocial development of adolescents.

This study presents a feminist analysis of the film Gone Girl (2014) through the theoretical lens of the male gaze concept proposed by Laura Mulvey. The study explores how the film deconstructs traditional patriarchal cinematic structures by repositioning the female protagonist, Amy Dunne, from an object of visual pleasure to an active subject who controls the narrative and psychological manipulation. Using qualitative content analysis methods, the study identifies key scenes and visual strategies that challenge the conventions of female representation in mainstream Hollywood cinema. The findings suggest that Gone Girl does not simply symbolically reverse gender roles, but also critically questions the mechanisms of spectatorism, representation, and power embedded in cinematic language. This study contributes to the broader discourse on gender and visual culture, by showing how contemporary cinema can be a space of resistance to normative feminine representations and patriarchal ideologies embedded in film production.

The implementation of educational financial management is crucial as part of the commitment to progress that is the focus of this study, with the aim of examining financial management based on the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the 'Aje Kendor Sekolah' program using Public Financial Management Theory and Policy Implementation Theory. This study uses a qualitative research method with Creswell's case study approach. The research findings indicate that budget management aligns with formal procedures, but planning is not yet fully participatory. The reporting system is structured, but community involvement in oversight remains symbolic. The presence of collaboration among various stakeholders has not addressed the shortages in facilities and funding. Therefore, these shortages need to be addressed to encourage sustained school participation in the future.

This study analyzes the representation of psychological trauma and collective memory in the novel Laut Bercerita by Leila S. Chudori through the psychoanalytic approach of Sigmund Freud and Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method with content analysis techniques applied to the text. The findings reveal that the trauma experienced by the main character, Biru Laut, reflects internal conflicts among the id, ego, and superego, as well as the emergence of various defense mechanisms such as repression, sublimation, and acting out. Trauma is portrayed not only as an individual experience but also as a collective wound affecting families and communities, which manifests in symbolic actions like the Kamisan protest. The novel serves as a cathartic space and cultural archive that voices historical wounds while advocating for justice and social recovery. Thus, Laut Bercerita functions not only as a literary work but also as a reflective medium for understanding and preserving the nation's collective trauma.

This study aims to analyze how cultural and religious identities are represented and interact in the Log In podcast on Dedy Corbuzier's YouTube channel. The focus of this research is on the interaction among five speakers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A qualitative approach is employed, using Identity Negotiation Theory as the analytical framework. The findings reveal that the speakers openly express their identities through symbols, verbal expressions, and personal experiences. These interactions demonstrate identity negotiation in accordance with the core dialectics of Identity Negotiation Theory: security vs. vulnerability, inclusion vs. differentiation, and connection vs. autonomy. The study concludes that intercultural communication occurs effectively through openness, acceptance, and a willingness to respect others' identities.

The rapid development of the digital era has led to a significant increase in cases of online fraud. BCA, as a trusted bank, acknowledges its concern regarding the increasing issue of fraud which threatens customer security and comfort. Therefore, through the advertising campaign “Don't Know? Kasih No! On YouTube” which contains the dangers and threats of online fraud. The aim of this research is to reveal the meaning of messages and understand the construction of social reality using Ferdinand De Saussure's semiotics. The theory used in this research is the theory of social reality construction, advertising, signs and meaning, visual communication, YouTube as an advertising medium, semiotics, and Ferdinand De Saussure's semiotics. This research uses descriptive qualitative methods. Data collection techniques use text analysis. The results of this research reveal the importance of digital literacy and caution in interacting in the digital world, so that society can be protected from increasingly complex and diverse threats. The understanding that we want to build in this advertisement is that BCA Bank is a bank that prioritizes customer security. By showing fishing symbolism to show how phishing can deceive its victims in a seemingly harmless way.

This study analyzes the representation of psychological trauma and collective memory in the novel Laut Bercerita by Leila S. Chudori through the psychoanalytic approach of Sigmund Freud and Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method with content analysis techniques applied to the text. The findings reveal that the trauma experienced by the main character, Biru Laut, reflects internal conflicts among the id, ego, and superego, as well as the emergence of various defense mechanisms such as repression, sublimation, and acting out. Trauma is portrayed not only as an individual experience but also as a collective wound affecting families and communities, which manifests in symbolic actions like the Kamisan protest. The novel serves as a cathartic space and cultural archive that voices historical wounds while advocating for justice and social recovery. Thus, Laut Bercerita functions not only as a literary work but also as a reflective medium for understanding and preserving the nation's collective trauma.

This study examines acculturative symbolism and interfaith tolerance through the implementation of the Unan-Unan Ceremony in Tosari District, Tengger region, using a qualitative case study approach and Herbert Blumer's symbolic interactionism theory as an analytical tool. The Unan-Unan tradition, as a sacred five-year ritual of the Tengger Hindu community, not only carries spiritual meanings such as warding off evil and purifying nature but also serves as a space for social interaction actively involving the Muslim community, particularly in social, cultural, and logistical aspects. Cultural symbols such as offerings, mantras, and collective prayers are interpreted as the result of negotiations and the formation of cross-religious collective identity. The research findings indicate that the symbolism in this tradition represents values of tolerance, mutual aid, and teposliro, thereby strengthening an inclusive and harmonious social structure within a multicultural society. The Unan-Unan ceremony serves as tangible evidence that a cultural approach can create spaces for tolerance and harmony among religious groups without erasing their respective identities. Thus, this tradition is not only significant as a cultural heritage but also as a model of diversity and social peace in Indonesia.

Cartography is a field that combines science and art in the creation of maps to present geographical information in a visual format. In this regard, cartography plays a vital role in simplifying complex and abstract geographical data, making it easier to understand and use. Maps allow for the representation of geographical phenomena through symbols, colors, and other visual elements, which facilitate analysis and decision-making. Furthermore, technological advancements, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite- based digital mapping, have enhanced cartography's ability to provide more accurate and dynamic data. This article discusses the role of cartography in presenting geographical data by highlighting visualization techniques, the use of the latest technologies, and its practical applications across various sectors. Therefore, cartography is not just a tool for creating maps but also an essential means of analyzing and understanding more complex geographical data.