Cultural Studies: A Space for Learning Social and Gender Awareness

At the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, the Cultural Studies course is one of the learning spaces that raise students’ awareness of social issues around them. Through this course, students are introduced to various important concepts such as identity, representation, and power relations, which are then linked to the realities of everyday life. This approach emphasizes that culture is not merely a matter of tradition or art, but also an arena where values, ideologies, and the positions of individuals and groups are negotiated.

One of the main focuses of this course is the discussion of identity, including how gender is formed and understood in society. Students are encouraged to look further into how women and other groups are represented in the media, cultural texts, and social practices. Through this study, they learn to recognize biases, stereotypes, and forms of injustice that are often present unconsciously.

Furthermore, students are also involved in the analysis of popular culture. For example, the phenomenon of the hijabers community shows how women build new identities through lifestyle and social media. Or the movie Black Panther, which opens a discussion on how minority groups and female characters are presented in global stories. From this kind of study, students can see how culture can be a means of empowerment as well as a limitation for women.

More than just academic understanding, this learning experience provides students with important tools to be more critical of equality issues. They not only learn how gender is constructed, but also how this knowledge can help them read social realities more sharply. This kind of awareness encourages students to realize the importance of a fair and equal space for everyone.

Therefore, Cultural Studies not only enriches students’ knowledge of cultural theory and practice, but also raises their sensitivity to gender issues that are still relevant today. Through this course, students learn that equality is not an abstract discourse, but a real part of life that must continue to be fought for.

Red. Aliyah Zahra Saffanah