In Indonesia, the National Police refused to issue a permit for the pop icon, Lady Gaga's intended concert. Sociologist Ida Ruwalda believes that the concert could have proceeded if civil mediation was brought up, instead of a stand-off between government policies and Gaga's choices of wardrobe and her “freedom of expression.”

Why Ruwalda Believes Mediation Services Could Help

In a statement made on Wednesday in The Jakarta Post, Ruwalda said, “The government could have allowed Lady Gaga to perform in the country, but with a caveat, that she would not be allowed to wear certain clothes.” Lady Gaga, known for wearing outrageous costumes on stage, could have agreed or negotiated with these conditions, and the concert would have happened.

Ruwalda also did not believe that this would have been an attack on Gaga's freedom of expression. She added that R-rated movies are shown in Indonesia, and that the National Police could have found a way to work through this cultural disparity “without allowing the cultural hegemony of one group over another."

The Quid Pro Quo of This Theoretical Mediation

Ruwalda also said that Lady Gaga would need to understand that such a compromise would not diminish her artistic freedom of expression. She says that first of all, freedom of expression includes a responsibility to respect other people's rights, and that it would not work without mutual respect. Additionally, Ruwalda says that the concert promoters should arrange shows to respect local cultures.

That is to say, that the promoters should have informed Lady Gaga of what she needed to know about the culture in order to successfully perform in Indonesia.

While this incident may or may not ever enter civil mediation, these ideas presented by Ruwalda could enable future concerts in Indonesia by Lady Gaga and other performers whose shtick is about “shock and awe.”