การสร้างพื้นที่ทางสังคมของศิลปินหมอลำยุคศตวรรษที่ 21

The Construction of Social Space by Mor Lam Artists in the 21st Century

Abstract

This article examines the construction of social space by molam artists in the twenty-first century within the context of social, cultural, economic, and digital transformation. The study employs documentary analysis and socio-cultural perspectives as its analytical framework. It draws on Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space, Bourdieu’s concepts of cultural and social capital, Castells’s notion of the network society, and Jenkins’s concept of participatory culture to explain that contemporary molam artists no longer operate merely as performers of folk art. Rather, they actively produce social space through identity negotiation, the pursuit of social recognition, the expansion of audience networks, and adaptation to digital media.

The findings indicate that the social space of molam artists in the twenty-first century extends far beyond physical performance settings such as stages, merit-making events, and local communities. It now encompasses symbolic, economic, and digital dimensions. Contemporary molam artists mobilize cultural capital, including the Isan language, poetic performance, artistic skills, and local identity, together with social capital, such as fan networks, sponsors, and online platforms, in order to construct public visibility and strengthen social recognition. At the same time, they continue to negotiate dominant discourses surrounding the status of folk artists while confronting pressures from the modern market system and entertainment industry. The article and new finding concludes that the construction of social space by molam artists is a dynamic process reflecting the adaptation of Isan culture in the modern world. molam artists serve not only as cultural inheritors, but also as interpreters and drivers of living local culture, enabling it to endure with dignity in the context of the network society and the contemporary creative economy.