Digital Femininities: The Gendered Construction of Cultural and Political Identities Online

Digital Femininities explores the role of new media technologies in the production of girls' cultural and political identities, arguing that social media spaces can reproduce and subvert neoliberal and postfeminist subjectivities. Based on focus groups with girls and young women in England, the book offers an in-depth analysis of the digital cultures that emerged from the study.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Digital Femininities: The Gendered Construction of Cultural and Political Identities Online delves into the profound impact of new media technologies on the formation of girls' cultural and political identities. The book posits that the diverse and intricate spaces within our "social media" should be recognized as crucial terrains upon which neoliberal and postfeminist subjectivities can be reproduced and challenged. Through its exploration, the book addresses a range of critical issues that underpin contemporary debates surrounding gender politics and digital media, including gendered spatial politics, visibility, surveillance, regulation, beauty politics, and civic and political engagement and activism.

Over the past decade, the role of girls and young women within the digital landscape of social media has sparked widespread discussions. On the one hand, there are concerns that new digital technologies have contributed to the intensification of individualistic, neoliberal, and postfeminist identities. On the other hand, there are proponents who argue that access to social media for young people holds the potential to empower previously marginalized political subjects, including girls, by enabling them to engage with and participate in new and dynamic political cultures. This book sits at the crossroads.

Drawing from focus groups conducted with girls and young women aged 12 to 18 in England, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of the digital cultures that emerged from the study. This timely publication will be of immense interest to scholars, researchers, and practitioners engaged in contemporary femininity and feminism, as well as the role of digital media in shaping cultural, political, and gendered identities.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032268552