Ruang Kota Poskolonial dalam Novel Istikhdam al-?ayah Karya Ahmed Naji

Ahmad Arinal Haq, Dr. Arief Budiman S.S., M.A.

2026 | Skripsi | SASTRA ARAB

Penelitian ini membahas ruang kota poskolonial dalam Istikhdam al-Hayah karya Ahmed Naji. Teori yang digunakan adalah teori post-space dan ruang kota Sara Upstone. Adapun metode analisis yang dimanfaatkan adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif. Penelitian ini membahas ruang kota poskolonial dalam Istikhd?m al-?ay?h karya Ahmed Naji. Teori yang digunakan adalah teori post-space dan ruang kota Sara Upstone. Adapun metode analisis yang dimanfaatkan adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif. Berdasarkan analisis ruang kota Sara Upstone, novel Istikhdam al-Hayah menggambarkan kota Kairo melalui tiga bentuk ruang yang saling berkelindan, yaitu desired city, nowhere city, dan carnival city. Sebagai desired city, novel ini menggambarkan harapan tokoh-tokoh untuk memperbaiki Kairo yang justru diwarnai kerinduan pada warisan kolonial itu sendiri sehingga gagal terwujud sepenuhnya. Sebagai nowhere city, novel ini menggambarkan kesenjangan kekuasaan antara pihak yang memandang kota dari atas (maze-viewer) dan pihak yang menjalani tekanan kota secara langsung (maze-treader), yang tertindas oleh pengawasan sosial dan alienasi kerja kapitalis. Sebagai carnival city, novel ini menggambarkan perlawanan individu melalui strategi displacement dan carnivalization, berupa beragam komunitas rahasia yang hidup berdampingan Berdasarkan analisis ruang kota Sara Upstone, novel Istikhd?m al-?ay?h menggambarkan kota Kairo melalui tiga bentuk ruang yang saling berkelindan, yaitu desired city, nowhere city, dan carnival city. Sebagai desired city, novel ini menggambarkan harapan tokoh-tokoh untuk memperbaiki Kairo yang justru diwarnai kerinduan pada warisan kolonial itu sendiri sehingga gagal terwujud sepenuhnya. Sebagai nowhere city, novel ini menggambarkan kesenjangan kekuasaan antara pihak yang memandang kota dari atas (maze-viewer) dan pihak yang menjalani tekanan kota secara langsung (maze-treader), yang tertindas oleh pengawasan sosial dan alienasi kerja kapitalis. Sebagai carnival city, novel ini menggambarkan perlawanan individu melalui strategi displacement dan carnivalization, berupa beragam komunitas rahasia yang hidup berdampingan tanpa hierarki di dalam struktur kota. Pada akhirnya, ketiga bentuk ruang kota ini merepresentasikan Kairo sebagai post-space, yaitu ruang hibrida yang terus bergerak di antara harapan dan kekecewaan, kontrol dan perlawanan, serta warisan kolonial masa lalu dan kekuasaan neokolonial dan kapitalisme global masa kini. tanpa hierarki di dalam struktur kota. Pada akhirnya, ketiga bentuk ruang kota ini merepresentasikan Kairo sebagai post-space, yaitu ruang hibrida yang terus bergerak di antara harapan dan kekecewaan, kontrol dan perlawanan, serta warisan kolonial masa lalu dan kekuasaan neokolonial dan kapitalisme global masa kini. 

This study examines postcolonial city space in the novel Istikhd?m al ?ay?h by Ahmed Naji. The theory used is Sara Upstone's post-space and city space theory. The analytical method employed is descriptive qualitative. This study examines postcolonial city space in the novel Istikhdam al- Hayah by Ahmed Naji. The theory used is Sara Upstone's post-space and city space theory. The analytical method employed is descriptive gualitative. Based on Sara Upstone's city space analysis, the novel Istikhdam al-Hayah represents the city of Cairo through three interwoven forms of urban space, namely the desired city, the nowhere city, and the carnival city. As a desired city, the novel depicts the characters' hope of improving Cairo, which is nevertheless coloured by nostalgia for the colonial legacy itself, causing this hope to remain unfulfilled. As a nowhere city, the novel depicts a fundamental gap in power between those who view the city from above (the maze-viewer) and those who directly experience the pressures of the city (the maze-treader), who are oppressed by social surveillance and capitalist labour alienation. As a carnival city, the novel depicts individual Based on Sara Upstone's city space analysis, the novel Istikhd?m al-?ay?h represents the city of Cairo through three interwoven forms of urban space, namely the desired city, the nowhere city, and the carnival city. As a desired city, the novel depicts the characters' hope of improving Cairo, which is nevertheless coloured by nostalgia for the colonial legacy itself, causing this hope to remain unfulfilled. As a nowhere city, the novel depicts a fundamental gap in power between those who view the city from above (the maze-viewer) and those who directly experience the pressures of the city (the maze-treader), who are oppressed by social surveillance and capitalist labour alienation. As a carnival city, the novel depicts individual resistance through the strategies of displacement and carnivalization, manifested in various secret communities that coexist without hierarchy within the fabric of the city. Ultimately, these three forms of urban space represent Cairo as a post-space, a hybrid space that continually moves between hope and disappointment, control and resistance, and between the colonial legacy of the past and the neocolonial power and global capitalism of the present. resistance through the strategies of displacement and carnivalization, manifested in various secret communities that coexist without hierarchy within the fabric of the city. Ultimately, these three forms of urban space represent Cairo as a post-space, a hybrid space that continually moves between hope and disappointment, control and resistance, and between the colonial legacy of the past and the neocolonial power and global capitalism of the present. 

Kata Kunci : ruang kota, poskolonial, post-space, Sara Upstone, Istikhd?m al ?ay?h, Ahmed Naji