REALITAS RAILFANS PADA KOMUNITAS EDAN SEPUR WILAYAH 2 BANDUNG

Abstrak

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengungkap realitas sosial yang dibentuk dan dijalani anggota Komunitas Edan Sepur Wilayah 2 Bandung sebagai railfans. Fokus kajian meliputi bentuk interaksi sosial antaranggota, proses pembentukan identitas diri, serta pemaknaan terhadap simbol dan bahasa khas komunitas. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode fenomenologi, didukung teori Interaksionisme Simbolik George Herbert Mead. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi partisipatif, dokumentasi, dan kajian pustaka. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa realitas sosial komunitas terbentuk melalui praktik interaksi simbolik baik di ruang fisik, seperti kegiatan hunting kereta dan kopi darat, maupun di ruang digital melalui media sosial. Identitas railfans dikonstruksi secara kolektif melalui pembelajaran sosial dari anggota lama kepada anggota baru, serta dimaknai melalui simbol komunitas berupa istilah khas, gestur, dan atribut. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa Komunitas Edan Sepur tidak hanya menjadi wadah hobi, tetapi juga ruang sosial yang membangun solidaritas, identitas, dan konstruksi realitas bersama.

This study aims to reveal the social reality formed and lived by members of the Edan Sepur Community Region 2 Bandung as railfans. The focus of the study includes the forms of social interaction among members, the process of identity formation, and the interpretation of symbols and language specific to the community. The research employs a qualitative approach using phenomenological methods, supported by George Herbert Mead's Symbolic Interactionism theory. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, documentation, and literature review. The findings reveal that the community's social reality is shaped through symbolic interaction practices, both in physical spaces—such as train spotting activities and coffee meetups—and in digital spaces via social media. Railfans' identities are collectively constructed through social learning from older members to new members and are interpreted through community symbols such as unique terminology, gestures, and attributes. These findings confirm that the Edan Sepur Community is not only a hobbyist group but also a social space that fosters solidarity, identity, and the construction of shared reality.