A dissertation in fulfilment for Master of Arts in
Media Studies
Faculty of Humanities
School of Language, Literature and Media Studies (SLLM)
University of the Witwatersrand
2016This research study essentially sets out to explore the practices of young, ordinary, South
African women who take and post selfies on social media platforms, like Instagram. The
general commentary surrounding selfies is typically negative, and tends to frame the selfietaker
as a narcissistic, self-absorbed individual. Therefore, this study is interested in
understanding what this very particular smartphone-enabled photographic technique means to
this group of women, and in doing so, aims to determine whether or not there are underlying
significances to such practices. This research study adopts a vast framework of literature in
order to conceptualize and contextualize selfies in contemporary culture, by drawing on the
rich history of self-portraiture and snapshots as well as concepts of mediation and the
representation of the self online; in addition to describing the role that mobile technologies
and social media platforms have played in contributing to cementing selfies as a cultural
hallmark in today’s society. This study is additionally grounded upon three dominant
theoretical themes, namely: narcissism, self-exploration, and self-regulation; and Christopher
Lasch, Michel Foucault, Angela McRobbie and Rosalind Gill’s theoretical contributions are
predominantly referred to in an attempt to explain such principles adequately. Through the
responses that were yielded by interviewing 14 young, ordinary, South African women, this
research study essentially established that the practices of selfie-taking do in fact play a
significant role in the lives of these young women, from empowering them and teaching them
to learn to love and accept themselves again, to inspiring personal growth, capturing special
moments and memories, and allowing them to feel accepted and as though they belong and
have a fixed placed in society. Therefore, this study argues that selfies are not necessarily
only about narcissism and self-obsession, but rather more about the notion of self-love and
acceptance (for this group of participants at least).MT201
