Multimodal stance-taking in the genre of presidential address: A case of the seventh Indonesian president, Joko Widodo

The presidential address (PA) is a unique genre of the political discourse delivered by a sitting president. It plays critical roles in articulating visions, fostering public trust, promoting ideologies, constructing identities and asserting leadership. It also shapes education, especially in policymaking, curriculum planning and resource development. That said, existing research has tended to examine the genre as a discursive space, in which it has overlooked multimodal orchestration that mobilises body movements, gestures, facial expressions and dress. This oversight becomes even more acute in the digital era, which has revolutionised how presidential addresses are presented and received. Increased accessibility, interactivity and speed of communication require presidents to be more mindful of accuracy, engagement and the nuances of online communication.

This research project thus adopted case studies as the methodology to explore this gap, with a focus on the interplay between communicative modes and stance. Joko Widodo, the sitting president of Indonesia, was selected as the case considering the significant influence of his presidency both domestically and internationally. The research data were collected from YouTube channels and then processed in NVivo. This software’s functionalities enabled the heterogeneous array of data sources to be effectively trimmed and managed. Further, the case study employed a three-layered multimodal stance analytical framework for data annotation and analysis.

The first layer examined the occurrences of two sets of communicative modes—stationary and mobile—to understand how Jokowi’s presidential addresses mobilise semiotic resources to enact political conversations. These conveyed his messages and connected with the audience through several means beyond traditional verbal discourse. The second layer unpacked the multimodal construction of the stance triangle (evaluation, positioning, alignment) in the selected PAs. The third layer further scrutinised various stance-taking strategies by highlighting the diverse roles that modes play in generating different stance typologies expressed in the PA.

This research’s multilayered analysis yielded several important findings. It found that mode preference or bias exists in the context of a PA. Mobile communicative modes, comprising elements such as posture, gesture, gaze and head movement, seem to play a crucial role in both shaping and reinforcing PA stances. Posture conveys authority and presence, as well as portrays a speaker’s confidence in delivering a PA. Gesture adds emphasis and clarity to important ideas delivered in the PA, subsequently helping the audience understand the content more effectively. Gaze creates a connection between the speaker and the audience, as well as establishes credibility. Head movement indicates agreement or disagreement and provides a sense of the speaker’s engagement in solving the problem faced. Stationary communicative modes tend to enhance PA delivery. The layout, comprising backdrop elements and wall adornments, fortifies the thematic essence of the speech content as delivered by the speaker. For example, the presence of a map of Indonesia, its prominent red and white flag, a Garuda bird sculpture and red and white wall embellishments collectively encapsulate the spirit of nationalism that all Indonesian citizens should embrace. This symbolism harmonises with the overarching message conveyed within the PA. The choice of formal attire further highlights the speaker’s intent in conveying the speech’s message, as well as demonstrates how the speaker recognises the tapestry of the Indonesian populace that resonates at the core of the discourse. This nod to traditional attire subtly signifies the speaker’s reverence for the inherent plurality in the Indonesian nation.

This research’s analysis also revealed an intriguing interplay between communicative modes and the stance triangle in relation to evaluation, positioning and alignment. The speaker employed communicative modes that encompass several non-verbal cues (e.g., posture, gesture, gaze, head movement) as means to signify attitudes when evaluating diverse matters. Concurrently, communicative modes also shaped the speaker’s positioning when adopting stances on numerous subjects. Conversely, the role of communicative modes extends to explaining the complex interplay between evaluative perspectives and positional orientations. This interplay culminates in notable stances of the speaker in his endeavour to address multiple challenges.

More importantly, communicative modes acted as catalysts for the process of stance taking, prompting three distinct categories of stances: affective, effective and epistemic. For affective stances, communicative modes played a pivotal role in facilitating the speaker’s emotions, beliefs and attitudes towards the subjects being discussed, thereby engendering a profound emotional resonance. Gestures and gazes emerged as predominant elements in this unique enactment of affective stances. For effective stances, communicative modes allowed the speaker to wield persuasive language and rhetoric, thereby instilling impact and exerting influence on the audience. Posture, gesture, gaze and head movement collectively assumed prominence in the articulation of effective stances. For epistemic stances, communicative modes were manifestations of the speaker’s knowledge, beliefs and certainties. These were substantiated by evidence and authoritative sources, thereby framing the disseminated information as credible. Within this typology of stance, gesture and gaze were the dominant communicative modes employed.

This research enhances current understanding of PAs as a genre and the nuanced interplay between multimodal expressions and stance. Through its multifaceted analysis, this research highlights how communicative modes affect the genre of PAs and the intertwined political discourse.