Teenagers’ Selfies: Between Identity Construction and Meeting Hegemonic Norms : An Analysis of Selfies with the Documentary Method of Interpretation

  • Abstract:

    Taking and sharing selfies is booming amongst teenagers. In this paper selfies are treated as a tool of visual self-representation as well as representations of dealing with heterogeneous hegemonic norms. With regard to a social constructive analytical stance, selfies are treated as constructions of individuals and therefore representations of their selves as well as objectifications of reflexive and tacit meaning that is communicatively generalized and documentary meaning. In this paper the analysis of selfies with the documentary method of interpretation is illustrated. The purpose of this reconstructive qualitative approach is to gain access to the modus operandi or collective patterns of orientations embedded in pictures as implicit knowledge. First empirical results show that teenagers ambivalently deal with anticipated expectations of their social roles, e. g. hegemonic masculinity.