In-between identity: Authenticity vs modernity—applying Bauman’s theoretical concepts to "News from Kebayoran" and "Al-Naddāha"

Modernity in formerly colonized nations is not merely an internal development but also a continuation of colonial control through Western-centrism as the dominant model of progress and civilization. This study argues that modernity, symbolized by capital cities, corrupts the innocence and authenticity of the countryside, represented by Fathiyah in Yusuf Idris’s “Al-Naddāha” (The Caller) and Aminah in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s “Berita Dari Kebayoran” (News from Kebayoran). This study aims to identify similarities and differences between the short stories, compare manifestations and forms of liquid modernity based on Zygmunt Bauman’s theory, and examine its consequences for the main characters’ identities. Employing a mixed methodological approach combining sociological and comparative analysis, this research analyzes both short stories using Liquid Modernity (1999) as its primary theoretical reference. Data were collected through reading and note-taking techniques, with the researcher serving as the main research instrument. The findings reveal three key points. First, both short stories depict similar manifestations of liquid modernity. Second, values undergo radical transformations characterized by liquidity. Third, both protagonists experience similar consequences of modernity, resulting in the destruction of their already fragile identities. These findings demonstrate how modernity disrupts rural authenticity and destabilizes individual identities within formerly colonized societies.