Symbolic Violence and Social Reproduction: Gossip in Javanese Rewang Tradition

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_36How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Gender; Javanese society; Rewang Tradition; Symbolic Violence

Abstract

Gossiping is a prevalent social phenomenon in the Rewang tradition among Javanese women. Rewang, a collaborative activity in preparing for significant events, provides an intense social interaction platform for women and opens up opportunities for gossiping. This study explores the motivations, patterns, and impacts of gossiping behavior on women participating in Rewang and how this activity influences social cohesion and dynamics in the local community. The research employs a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach, involving participant observation and in-depth interviews with several key informants in Sambilawang Village, Dlanggu District, Mojokerto Regency, East Java. The findings indicate that gossiping in Rewang functions as a social competition arena, wherein women engage in a dynamic competition to dominate conversations, secure narratives, and highlight their life achievements. The discourse frequently centers on personal lives and those of others, with a focus on diverse forms of capital, including economic, social, cultural, and symbolic capital. This dynamic can give rise to profound life comparisons among women, ultimately leading to internal conflicts and tensions. The practice of gossiping has been shown to contribute to the reproduction of social hierarchies and societal norms. In some cases, gossiping can be considered a form of symbolic violence. This study makes a significant contribution to the field by offering a nuanced understanding of the intricate role of gossiping in the social dynamics of Javanese society, particularly within the context of the Rewang tradition.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Marta Widyawati
AU  - Nadhira Mazaya Arrumaisha
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/19
TI  - Symbolic Violence and Social Reproduction: Gossip in Javanese Rewang Tradition
BT  - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Culture and Sustainable Development (ICOCAS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 292
EP  - 298
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_36
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_36
ID  - Widyawati2025
ER  -