Survey as an instrument of power: a discourse analysis of knowledge production by survey institutions in Indonesia from the perspective of Michel Foucault

Introduction This article offers a conceptual perspective on the practices of electability survey institutions in Indonesia as instruments of power, employing a Foucauldian Critical Discourse Analysis lens. It addresses how survey data increasingly function not merely as measurements of public opinion but as authoritative references shaping political reality in contemporary Indonesia. Methods The study adopts a qualitative, interpretive approach grounded in Foucauldian discourse analysis. Illustrative materials are drawn from electability survey results during the 2023–2024 period and their media representations, including numerical visualizations, headlines, and public comments circulating on digital platforms. The analysis is reflective and discourse-oriented rather than empirically generalizable. Results The analysis demonstrates that linguistic constructions and numerical visualizations within survey publications constitute a “regime of truth” in which statistics appear as objective and neutral facts. These performative facts normalize political reality, shape voter preferences, and discipline political subjects. Mainstream media frequently reproduce survey results without critical scrutiny, reinforcing the hegemony of survey discourse, while public responses reveal only limited and fragmented forms of resistance. Discussion The article argues that electability surveys operate as technologies of power that govern political perception and civic imagination. While not aiming for empirical generalization, the study highlights how Foucauldian notions of power/knowledge enrich critical understandings of survey practices. It recommends enhancing transparency in polling procedures, strengthening public data literacy, and encouraging comparative and qualitative research to further examine the power mechanisms of surveys in democratic contexts.