“DRAMATURGY THEORY FROM ERVING GOFFMAN”

By: Nur Bintang*

Now, I watching television about corruption scandal news from politicians government functionary and I think this is very dangerous to my love country (Indonesia).  I don’t know what are they doing? For me campaign promises are bullshit. They are manipulating image in mass media ex: newspaper, magazine, television, radio, internet, etc about theirs policy. I am analyzing about this social phenomena with “Dramaturgy Theory” from sociolog Erving Goffman. He is a the great sociology thinker in weberian tradition specially American Sociology from 'Chicago School' with book masterpiece which published is “Presentation of Everyday Life” (1959). Goffman has original idea about social interaction like life stage theater. His theory “front stage, back stage, and off stage” like a show of drama. Goffman have a notion that individual playing role according to society demand (front stage). This phenomena like drama player doing scene according instruction stage manager. Politicians building good impression in front of audiences to maintain it’s power.

In back stage, politicians are briefing and evaluating can performance in front of audiences (no audiences). Politicians look struggle assuring audiences that themselves are clean, honest, from corruption scandal before return coming up to audiences specially news reportage in mass media like demonstrating drama started after next scene. Character politicians in fact residing after end show of drama (off stage) when no news reportage to politicians in mass media and no audiences. Politicians begin doing activity according  behavior genuiness. I can see this social phenomena in mass media. Politicians in my country keep image with religious, kindhearted, polite, anti-corruption, but after proven they catched by KPK (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi) or Anti-Corruption Commission looked to be wrackness and hypocrisy. 

'Life is a stage of drama'

I try using Goffman analyse to describe this social phenomena. Understanding message from Goffman theory show that society influencing individual. Goffman theory getting criticism that social construction from society to come individual too. Missunderstanding can happened if front stage, back stage, and off stage residing on internet. On internet, Goffman theory become blurry and lost it’s position because mix space (front stage, back stage, off stage) to be public space so that no private space on internet specially site social network like facebook, twitter, Google+, friendster, and many others. I hope my explanation about dramaturgy theory can give clarification about idea of sociolog Erving Goffman (The great sociology thinker from Chicago School).[]

Nur Bintang* is a sociology post-graduated from Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.

References:

-Bernard Raho,SVD. (2007). “Teori Sosiologi Modern”. Jakarta. Penerbit: Prestasi Pustaka.

-George Ritzer dan Douglas J. Goodman. (2009). “Teori Sosiologi: Dari Teori Sosiologi Klasik sampai Perkembangan Mutakhir Teori Sosial Postmodern”. Yogyakarta. Penerbit: Kreasi Wacana.