Power Relations and Injustice in Brainwasher’s Tanda Seru: A Foucaultian Study

This study analyzes power relations and the representation of injustice in the novel “Tanda Seru” by Brainwasher using Michel Foucault's perspective. A descriptive-qualitative method was used, with data collection involving reading and note-taking. This study analyzed narrative excerpts and dialogues through the concepts of power relations and discourse. The results indicate that power relations in the novel manifest in two primary forms: power over thought and practices of injustice. Power over thought is expressed through the manipulation of ideas, stigmatization, and mind control. Meanwhile, the representation of injustice appears as procedural unfairness within educational institutions, intellectual exploitation in academic relationships, and state violence against civil society. These findings demonstrate that power in the novel operates not only through direct repressive actions but also through discourse, knowledge, and the shaping of mindsets that influence individuals' positions and actions. This study contributes to the understanding of how literature can serve as a space to reveal the power mechanisms hidden behind educational practices, social relations, and state actions. Consequently, a critical reading of power relations and injustice in literature is essential for understanding how power is produced, disseminated, and maintained through various social practices.?