Agency Dilemma and the Existence of Women Coffee Workers in Jember

Abstract

This study aims to understand the agency and existence of women coffee workers in Jember through café and coffee shop practices, using Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical framework, namely habitus, and forms of capital. A qualitative approach explored the gender dimensions, legitimacy, and cultural dynamics that distinguish café and coffee shop practices for women to thrive. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and then analyzed using a thematic approach. The results showed that women in cafés tend to have high cultural capital through mastery of modern coffee serving techniques and service aesthetics, which creates bourgeois legitimacy. In contrast, women in coffee shops rely on community-based social capital to build interpersonal relationships that create popular legitimacy. Masculine and feminine dimensions also influence coffee consumption practices, with male customers demonstrating cultural dominance by expecting female service. Although women in cafés are often seen as an aesthetic element that enhances the place's attractiveness, their habitus remains a decisive factor in the business's success. In coffee shops, more informal relationships reflect local traditions that strengthen customer loyalty. This research concludes that women's agency in the coffee sector is strongly influenced by the habitus played in the doxa of coffee aena. As such, café and coffee shop practices reflect differences in bourgeois and popular legitimacy relevant to social and cultural dynamics in Jember.