Much. Khoiri
Faculty of
Languages and Arts, State University of Surabaya
Abstract
The urbanization process
taking place in the metropolitan Surabaya causes the blurring of physical boundaries due to the migration and mixture of ethnic groups in a
new housing in the suburbs. The suburbs alone are an
integral part of the great metropolitan areas. In this urbanization process, there
grows a prismatic society in which people frequently experience
cultural negotiations and anxieties brought about by interactions with new
values, norms, and social demands. The study was based on a participant observation
and interviews with competent subjects. This study revealed four points
concerning the adapting strategy applied by prismatic society in a new housing. First, in a
prismatic society at KBD Gresik Housing, the poly-functional principle
applies where traditional and
moderchn values exist simultaneously. Second, the selection of
the application of specific norms and general rules
tend to be dynamic. Third, in terms
of achieving the source of role, power,
wealth or prestige, people tend to employ the
principles of merit and is supported with the principles of ascription—and not
vice versa. And fourth, in a prismatic society,
their language behavior
is quite diverse and complicated. Then, prismatic society relies not only on a
generic culture, but also constructs and reproduces the differential
culture.
Key words: urbanization process, construction and reproduction
of culture, prismatic society, a new housing
