How Art Can Encourage Social Change
Photo by whitedaemon from Pixabay
By Kacy Cheslek
Mimesis is a relevant theory that is used to study the relationship between literature and society today. The Indonesian journal AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan published such a study by Asmawati, Ridha Hasnul Ulya, and Jasrilin in September 2023. The researchers analyzed Indonesian novels and their inclusion of issues in Indonesian society, specifically poverty, crime, family disorganization, the younger generation, violated community norms, population, environment, religion and beliefs, and bureaucratic issues.
The study showed an “intricate relationship between literature and society” that “highlight[s] the role of literary works in reflecting and critiquing social structures and dynamics.” We don’t often think of our entertainment as a form of communication for social change. This study urges us too.
Art and entertainment invite people to engage with societal problems and think about them critically. It fosters discussion on these difficult topics, giving us a new basis for understanding and addressing them. It promotes societal awareness, engagement, and narrative empathy.
The study lists practical applications of this idea to bring about societal change.
Publishers can promote stories that deal with societal issues and bring them to wider audiences, including children.
The government can teach “humanist ideas” to children by integrating socially important literature into educational programs. Teaching compassion to children can equip them with the thinking and discussion skills that prepare them to overcome the challenges societies face.
Community organizations can incorporate this literature into their initiatives. Literary communities can form and grow, sharing these stories and starting conversations around them.
To read more on social change and compassion, see the following:
The Gulf Between Compassion and Chaos / December 16, 2020
Finding the Passion in Compassion: Your Social Justice Soul / June 30, 2020
Overcoming Psychic Numbing Through Narratives: A Review of Numbers and Nerves / January 22, 2018