Not Just Another Selfie

Abstract

Selfies have been mainly discussed in the academic world from a communicative and gender perspective. With a primary focus on fitness selfies, this thesis explores the role of the smartphone while creating and sharing selfies online. It argues that studies into selfies cannot separate the social practice and role of technology. First it focuses on the concepts of self-representation and mediation, and argues that there cannot be self-representation in selfies without mediation. Then, by looking at technical and interface affordances, and signifiers of two widely used phones and operating systems, this thesis presents five affordances specified on self- representation through mobile media: simultaneity, editability, reviseabililty, reviewability and timeslicing. These affordances are further explored in the final chapter, which provides an analysis of four categories of fitness selfies that people deploy to represent themselves. These categories are statement of muscle growth, statement of pride, statement of complaint and statement of place.