Selfie appropriation by young British South Asian adults

Bidit Lal Dey,Mike Saren,John M.T Balmer,Ameet Pandit

doi:10.1108/itp-08-2016-0178

Bidit Lal Dey, Mike Saren + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1108/itp-08-2016-0178

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Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how young British South Asian adults’ dual cultural identity is exhibited and reaffirmed through the appropriation of selfies.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a qualitative perspective and utilises a combination of in-depth interviews and netnographic data.FindingsThe appropriation of the selfie phenomenon by young British South Asian adults reifies, endorses and reinforces their dual cultural identity. As such, their dual cultural identity is influenced by four factors: consonance between host and ancestral cultures, situational constraints, contextual requirements and convenience.Research limitations/implicationsIn terms of the selfie phenomenon, the study makes two major contributions: first, it analyses young British South Asian adults’ cultural dualism. Second, it explicates how their acculturation and their dual cultural identity are expressed through the appropriation of the selfie phenomenon.Practical implicationsSince young British South Asians represent a significant, and distinct, market, organisations serving this market can marshal insights from this research. As such, managers who apprise themselves of the selfie phenomenon of this group are better placed to meet their consumer needs. Account, therefore, should be taken of their twofold cultural identity and dual British/Asian identification. In particular, consideration should be given to their distinct and demonstrable traits apropos religiosity and social, communal, and familial bonding. The characteristics were clearly evident via their interactions within social media. Consequently, senior marketing managers can utilise the aforementioned in positioning their organisations, their brands and their products and services.Originality/valueThe study details a new quadripartite framework for analysing young British South Asian adults’ acculturation that leads to the formation of their dual cultural identity and presents a dynamic model that explicates how cultural identity is expressed through the use and appropriation of technology.

Highlights

As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, a selfie is a self-portrait photograph of one’s own self captured using a camera or a camera phone
Recourse was made to an interpretivist methodology, which affords the opportunity to identify and analyse “why” and “how” young British South Asian adults define themselves via their use and appropriation of the selfie phenomenon
We analyse how the appropriation of the selfie phenomenon is linked with the acculturation and appropriation of culture

Summary

Introduction

As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, a selfie is a self-portrait photograph of one’s own self (which may or may not be taken with others) captured using a camera or a camera phone. A British Labour Party leader was suspended for posing for a “selfie” photograph at the scene of the Tunisian beach slaughter (Awford, 2015). Another example is the Lebanese Miss Universe’s “selfie” pose with her Israeli counterpart, which created controversy and criticism (https://storify.com/cmgnationalnews/miss-universe-selfie-sparks-uproar)

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