Using Social Media to Foster Identification in Indonesia\u27s 2014 Presidential Election: An Examination of Facebook Politics from Kenneth Burke\u27s Dramatistic Perspective

This dissertation examines the intersection of rhetorical studies with social media studies, investigates the particular use of social media in the 2014 Indonesian presidential election, and address relevant theories such as Kenneth Burke\u27s dramatistic perspective, Henry Jenkin\u27s participatory culture, and Douglas Eyman\u27s digital rhetoric. I focus on the rhetorical principle to analyse Indonesia\u27s 2014 presidential election by applying the following selected examples of identification categories: 1) The Common Ground Technique, 2) Identification through antithesis, 3) The assumed or transcendent \u27we.\u27 The two candidates running for the 2014 Indonesian presidential election were Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo, and Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi†Widodo. The first candidate tends to personify these following traits: nationalist, firm and superior leader. The second candidate manages to represent these following characters: modest and populist, the ordinary people leader. Subianto promoting “anti-discrimination†and Widodo arguing for “pluralism,†Subianto firmly defended his nationalism, while Widodo emphasised his support of diversity. From analyzing the text element, the visual and audiovisual elements, and the rhetorical situation from the above three social media artifacts, I could firmly determine that the first candidate aims to reach the older generations, which includes: 1) The Patriotic generations, and 2) The Baby Boomer generations. Meanwhile, the second candidate sought to reach the younger generations, which includes: 1) The Millennial generation, 2) The First-Time voters, and 3) The Commoners. Based on the analysis of Indonesia\u27s two presidential candidates\u27 Facebook page, the dissertation a) shows how a rhetorical situation is created by establishing common ground through social networking sites; b) reveals the set of texts on identification performed in political uses of social media includes the politically motivated common substance, and sometimes unconscious division; c) understands the symbolic of semi-conscious motives includes religious values and properties, and of course power and wealth; d) shows how the rhetorical analysis of Facebook politics in Indonesia\u27s election implies to use religion and race issue to gain political support