Everyday Body Regimes The Construction of Self in Weblogs about Dieting Anna Rogozińska, M.A. Institute of Polish Culture Warsaw University

The Construction of Self in Weblogs

about Dieting

Inspirations: Identity as a Reflexive Project Identity as a Reflexive Project Self-identity [(late and post-) modern] described as fluid, fragmented and ever-changing. No longer given, but reflexive, self-constructed, discursive and mediated. Goffman’s performative identity Giddens’ narrative identity Bauman’s palimpsest identity

Self-identity [(late and post-) modern] described as fluid, fragmented and ever-changing. No longer given, but reflexive, self-constructed, discursive and mediated.

Goffman’s performative identity

Giddens’ narrative identity

Bauman’s palimpsest identity

Inspirations: Identity as a Reflexive Project Identity as a Reflexive Project Goffman’s performative identity Giddens’ narrative identity : self constructed through a set of biographical narratives narratives further materialized through lifestyles, consumptive choices and body regimes. Bauman’s palimpsest identity

Goffman’s performative identity

Giddens’ narrative identity :

self constructed through a set of biographical narratives

narratives further materialized through lifestyles, consumptive choices and body regimes.

Bauman’s palimpsest identity

Inspirations: Theories of Virtual Identity Theories of Virtual Identity A set of internet features, above all its anonymity, disembodiment and its being a predominantly male sphere, has been analyzed as facilitating identity play (with particular importance of gender play and race play). Turkle (1997) : multiple selves distinction between the “real life self” and those staged online Wakeford (2000) : identity staged not only as text different media and environments, different analysis

A set of internet features, above all its anonymity, disembodiment and its being a predominantly male sphere, has been analyzed as facilitating identity play (with particular importance of gender play and race play).

Turkle (1997) :

multiple selves

distinction between the “real life self” and those staged online

Wakeford (2000) :

identity staged not only as text

different media and environments, different analysis

Methodological concerns how to “read” identity from the logovisual discourse of the internet: many internet environments still predominantly logovisual, not multimedial (blogs as an exception) attention must be paid to their specificity (medium, its materiality and content organizing rules, aesthetics, modes of production and consumption, social roles of author and reader, channels of distribution) how to place virtual identities within existing theories of self-identity: categories should be developed in relation to content, not content in relation to categories (Turkle 1997) analyzed notions cannot be distilled from their wider context

how to “read” identity from the logovisual discourse of the internet:

many internet environments still predominantly logovisual, not multimedial (blogs as an exception)

attention must be paid to their specificity (medium, its materiality and content organizing rules, aesthetics, modes of production and consumption, social roles of author and reader, channels of distribution)

how to place virtual identities within existing theories of self-identity:

categories should be developed in relation to content, not content in relation to categories (Turkle 1997)

analyzed notions cannot be distilled from their wider context

Alternative: Writing the Self as a Cultural Practice Writing the Self as a Cultural Practice Context as a key notion in anthropological research of the internet. Analyzed set of meanings is always: mediated (internet as a supermedium, internet environments, text, image, sound, motion picture, language itself) social (roles, hierarchies, institutions) cultural (norms and values, customs) Cultural practice is entangled in all these contexts.

Context as a key notion in anthropological research of the internet. Analyzed set of meanings is always:

mediated (internet as a supermedium, internet environments, text, image, sound, motion picture, language itself)

social (roles, hierarchies, institutions)

cultural (norms and values, customs)

Cultural practice is entangled in all these contexts.

Alternative: Writing the Self as a Cultural Practice Writing the Self as a Cultural Practice Three main aspects of writing the self as a cultural practice: technology (registration, data presentation, thematic construction, multimedia use, convergence of many internet environments) means of identity construction (tickers, links, personal galleries, biographical narrative, frequency) social context (rules of identity construction, weblog biographical narrative as a genre, language knowledge)

Three main aspects of writing the self as a cultural practice:

technology (registration, data presentation, thematic construction, multimedia use, convergence of many internet environments)

means of identity construction (tickers, links, personal galleries, biographical narrative, frequency)

social context (rules of identity construction, weblog biographical narrative as a genre, language knowledge)

Methodology discourse analysis: form and content participatory observation researcher as an user being a fellow user as participation (Jenkins, Hills)

discourse analysis: form and content

participatory observation

researcher as an user

being a fellow user as participation

(Jenkins, Hills)

Research Material Dieta.pl ( http://www.dieta.pl ) - one of the biggest Polish portals about dieting founded in 2000 (blogs started in 2007, about 1000) more than 60000 registered users 82% are women ( average in Polish internet: 48%) almost 70% younger than 25 (average: less than 45%) 50% from small towns smaller than 20000 citizens (average: 14%) more than 140000 visits per month many internet environments Source: Megapanel PBI/Gemius (November 2007) Raport “Internet 2006” by Gemius SA

Dieta.pl ( http://www.dieta.pl ) - one of the biggest Polish portals about dieting

founded in 2000 (blogs started in 2007, about 1000)

more than 60000 registered users

82% are women ( average in Polish internet: 48%)

almost 70% younger than 25 (average: less than 45%)

50% from small towns smaller than 20000 citizens (average: 14%)

more than 140000 visits per month

many internet environments

Source: Megapanel PBI/Gemius (November 2007)

Raport “Internet 2006” by Gemius SA

Context of the Portal structure: articles, diet plans, calculators, BB, chat, contacts, ads registration: from guest to co-author “ Chubby” (age, gender, height, weight, city) Measure Thyself - role of calculators in identity formation and maintenance (BMI, Kcal, Weight) forum: profile sub-fora (identification with a group) being a host (my own “I’m Starting Tomorrow!” thread) stress on interaction and information exchange

structure: articles, diet plans, calculators, BB, chat, contacts, ads

registration: from guest to co-author

“ Chubby” (age, gender, height, weight, city)

Measure Thyself - role of calculators in identity formation and maintenance (BMI, Kcal, Weight)

forum:

profile

sub-fora (identification with a group)

being a host (my own “I’m Starting Tomorrow!” thread)

stress on interaction and information exchange

Diet (B)logging in Context Blogs as a part of a thematic portal: Technological aspects: technological framework (fixed set of themes and categories, widgets/lack of widgets, template features) separate login - what are the intersections of blog and forum usage? no blog/portal linkage (apart from the domain name) Social and communication aspects presentation of self vs interaction monologue vs dialogue structured and focused experience (clear division, calendar) Cultural/Thematic aspects My Space vs We Space (different aspects)

Blogs as a part of a thematic portal:

Technological aspects:

technological framework (fixed set of themes and categories, widgets/lack of widgets, template features)

separate login - what are the intersections of blog and forum usage?

no blog/portal linkage (apart from the domain name)

Social and communication aspects

presentation of self vs interaction

monologue vs dialogue

structured and focused experience (clear division, calendar)

Cultural/Thematic aspects

My Space vs We Space (different aspects)

Dieting Self on Blogs the everyday organized by certain lifestyle: counting calories eating 4-5 times a day, always with food in mind making certain consumptive choices (i.e. diet supplements) where to go to, whom to go with body as the main determinant of one’s identification, body under regime (always too much and not close enough to the ideal) calculators - no blog widgets available, presented as text self is reflexive, counting and constantly on watch all true for BB as well - difference of extent?

the everyday organized by certain lifestyle:

counting calories

eating 4-5 times a day, always with food in mind

making certain consumptive choices (i.e. diet supplements)

where to go to, whom to go with

body as the main determinant of one’s identification, body under regime (always too much and not close enough to the ideal)

calculators - no blog widgets available, presented as text

self is reflexive, counting and constantly on watch

all true for BB as well - difference of extent?

(B)Logging the Diet my blog = my journal = the space where I set rules (even though not outside of convention) making technology mine (expressing oneself through design, media use, marking space) blogging and dieting as two ways of structuring one’s life intertwined in diet weblogs (multi-thematic genre) functions: therapy, self-help, structure, self-definition, self-reflection, self-expression, interaction on my own terms

my blog = my journal = the space where I set rules (even though not outside of convention)

making technology mine (expressing oneself through design, media use, marking space)

blogging and dieting as two ways of structuring one’s life intertwined in diet weblogs (multi-thematic genre)

functions: therapy, self-help, structure, self-definition, self-reflection, self-expression, interaction on my own terms

To sum up Identity of a diet blogger: constructed through personal uses of technology at hand built around specific subject set in a context of everyday life refers to other online identities that may also be staged within the same thematic context Question for discussion: Is miladka on blog, forum, Flickr and Last.fm the same person?

Identity of a diet blogger:

constructed through personal uses of technology at hand

built around specific subject set in a context of everyday life

refers to other online identities that may also be staged within the same thematic context

Question for discussion:

Is miladka on blog, forum, Flickr and Last.fm the same person?

Thank you!