MOBILITAS SOSIAL | BAGAIMANA PROSES MOBILITAS SOSIAL DI INDONESIA | KELAS VIII | KURIKULUM MERDEKA

Summary

The lesson explains social mobility—movement by an individual or group between social positions—and how it occurs in society. A news report about public officials convicted of corruption introduces the idea that people’s actions can affect their lives and social standing.

1. Meaning of social mobility

The term combines mobilis, meaning “easy to move,” with “social,” referring to people and social groups. Social mobility includes:

• A change to a higher or lower social position.
• A change in role or location without a change in social rank.

Examples include an employee advancing to manager, or a businessperson’s child experiencing business failure and falling into poverty.

2. Forms of social mobility

• Vertical mobility: Movement to a different social level.
  • Upward mobility (social climbing): A person rises in status, such as an employee being promoted to department head or a teacher being appointed principal.
  • Downward mobility (social sinking): A person’s status falls, such as when a failed business venture leads to a lower position.
• Horizontal mobility: A person changes groups, workplaces, or locations while remaining at the same social level. For example, a teacher transfers from one public school to another but remains a teacher.

3. Factors that encourage or hinder mobility

The lesson identifies six factors that can encourage social mobility:

1. Structural factors
2. Individual factors
3. Economic factors
4. Political factors
5. Access to education
6. Social access

Three factors that can hinder it are:

1. Poverty
2. Discrimination
3. Gender stereotypes

Students are asked to research these factors using the internet and other sources, with guidance from their teacher.

4. Channels of social mobility

The lesson presents four channels through which people may improve their social position:

1. Education: Can open opportunities for higher status and is described as a “social elevator.”
2. Political organizations: Can provide a path to positions of greater responsibility or status.
3. Economic organizations: Businesses and cooperatives may improve members’ welfare and create opportunities.
4. Professional organizations: Identified as another channel, though the subtitles provide little further explanation.

5. Effects of social mobility

The lesson highlights three positive effects:

• Encourages people to advance: Opportunities to move between social levels can motivate people to pursue achievement.
• Speeds up social change: Mobility can help society change—for example, from an agrarian to an industrial society—especially when supported by education and skilled people.
• Increases social integration: People entering a new social position may adapt to the values, lifestyle, and norms of their new group.

6. Classroom activities

Students are assigned to:

• Find examples of horizontal, upward, and downward mobility among people in their community and record them in a table.
• Identify real examples of people succeeding through each social-mobility channel and present them.
• Work in groups of three to five to research the biography of a national or international figure. Record the person’s path to success, setbacks, obstacles, and challenges, then prepare the findings as a PowerPoint presentation.

7. Inspirational example: Alwiansyah

The lesson recounts the story of Alwi, a boy from Southeast Sulawesi who became popular through a video of him singing expressively. His family had limited means: he helped his parents pick cloves after school, and the family shared one phone. Former Kotak drummer Posan Tobing said he would help Alwi pursue opportunities in music and entertainment. Alwi’s dreams included helping his parents, supporting them to perform Umrah, and improving their home.

Students are asked to consider why Alwi became popular, what efforts he made, how media may serve as a channel of social mobility, and what inspiration can be drawn from his story.

The lesson concludes that social mobility is connected to changes in society across social, cultural, political, and economic life. Students are encouraged to pursue their goals and contribute to Indonesia.

Speakers and sources featured

• Presenter and narrator: Ria Liniarti Subandi.
• CNN Indonesia: Source cited for the report about three Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing officials sentenced in a corruption case.
• Ruangguru: Credited as the source of an infographic on factors that encourage and hinder social mobility.
• Kompas.com: Source for the article about Alwi, credited in the subtitles to author Ira Gita Natalia Sembiring and editor Kistiarini.
• YouTube channel “Warkop Jurnalis” (rendered in the subtitles as “Warkop journalist”): Cited for a video about helping Alwi.
• YouTube channel “Starpro Indonesia”: Cited for a video about Alwi’s parents and his aspirations.
• Posan Tobing: Quoted in the accounts about supporting Alwi; the subtitles do not indicate that he speaks directly in the lesson.