AT 10-001_FA22: On social media, we navigate between "real" and "fake" expressions of ourselves and others. We stage manage ourselves for Instagram, tailor catchy word bites for Twitter, filter our appearance for Snapchat, polish our profiles for LinkedIn, and rehearse video snippets for Tik Tok. Meanwhile, such calculated self-editing is still meant to look casual and authentic. This phenomenon is both a dilemma but also an opportunity. In this course, we will explore the current tensions between authenticity and performance in our digital lives. Closely reading and discussing both foundational and new sociological research will help us better understand the dynamics between social media and the self. Our goals are to explore the history of authenticity and performance, to identify current issues with social media, and to understand sociological research into digital media. Most of all, we want to develop social media literacy towards becoming more mindful users, consumers, and producers of social media.
- Teacher: Julia Hildebrand