Filtering by: Research
Instafit or Instafake? The Role of Language, Images, and Differing Depictions of the Body in Online Fitness Communities
Jun
2
to Jun 5
Research, Conferences, Presentation

Instafit or Instafake? The Role of Language, Images, and Differing Depictions of the Body in Online Fitness Communities

Presentation at the 2021 Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association National Conference , 2nd June 2021 - 5th June 2021, in Boston, MA

Abstract:

Our perceptions of health, fitness and wellness are in a constant state of evolution. What was once perceived as desirable – being thin – is being replaced with aspirations of strength – #strongisthenewskinny. The use of hashtags and images in the world of Instagram is emblematic of this shift. By hashtagging, Instagrammers – so-called ‘Fitsagrammers’ – are able to link their pictures and profiles to specific keywords and, by extension, specific online fitness communities.

The act of hashtagging, however, is a subjective one; it is the person who posts a picture that decides which tags to use, and therefore which communities they belong to. This means that differing perceptions of health and fitness, and different depictions of fit and unfit bodies, could end up grouped under the same hashtag.

Does this variation strengthen online fitness communities or weaken them? Is this difference accepted, or do communities fracture and break off when there is little to no consistency among the images and bodies that are associated with them? Why do some hashtags thrive while others die? To answer these questions, this paper uses content analysis to examine the role of language and images in the creation, growth and maintenance of online fitness communities created on Instagram.

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Just the right “Temperature”: Measuring the success of ragga icon Sean Paul (Copy)
May
18
to May 22
Research, Conferences, Presentation

Just the right “Temperature”: Measuring the success of ragga icon Sean Paul (Copy)

This paper argues that the time has come to move beyond purely quantitative mechanisms for assessing success in the music industry. Through an analysis of the career of reggae icon Sean Paul, this paper tests several non-traditional mechanisms for in the hope of broadening our understanding of this changing definition of success.

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Beyond 'Contagion': Using The Power Of Popular Culture To Dispel Fear And Misinformation In A Time Of Crisis
Oct
1
to Oct 2
Conferences, Presentation, Research

Beyond 'Contagion': Using The Power Of Popular Culture To Dispel Fear And Misinformation In A Time Of Crisis

Presentation at the Fifth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Abstract:

At the outset of the COVID-19 crisis in North America, pandemic and outbreak films increased in popularity. Among others, the 2011 film Contagion rose to the top of viewing charts in Canada and the United States. Shortly thereafter, actors from the film released public service announcements to counter misinformation in news media and popular culture surrounding COVID-19 and viral outbreaks. This study compares events from the film Contagion with what was being reported in North American news media and the messages found with the public service announcements to illustrate the potential of popular culture to both create and dispel misinformation surrounding infection and pandemic narratives.

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Tattoos and Comics: The Uneasy Convergence of Two Cultures at Comic-Con
Jul
31
2:00 PM14:00
Conferences, Presentation, Research

Tattoos and Comics: The Uneasy Convergence of Two Cultures at Comic-Con

Presentation at 2020 HUGSA Conference, Designing the Self, organized by the Humanities Graduate Student Association at York University.

At this year’s virtual HUGSA conference, I’ll be presenting findings from my research at the 50th edition of Comic-Con where I examined the intersection of comics fandom and tattoo culture. Using an ethnographic approach, this paper considers how and why Comic-Con attendees express their fandom through tattoos and how these tattoos are connected with their experience of fandom and of Comic-Con. It also explores the impact of Comic-Con on the local tattoo industry in San Diego.

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Just the right “Temperature”: Measuring the success of ragga icon Sean Paul
May
21
to May 23
Research, Conferences, Presentation

Just the right “Temperature”: Measuring the success of ragga icon Sean Paul

This paper argues that the time has come to move beyond purely quantitative mechanisms for assessing success in the music industry. Through an analysis of the career of reggae icon Sean Paul, this paper tests several non-traditional mechanisms for in the hope of broadening our understanding of this changing definition of success.

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Instafit or Instafake? The Role of Language, Images, and Differing Depictions of the Body in Online Fitness Communities
Apr
15
to Apr 18
Research, Conferences, Presentation

Instafit or Instafake? The Role of Language, Images, and Differing Depictions of the Body in Online Fitness Communities

Presentation at the 2020 Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association National Conference , 15th April 2020 - 18th April 2020, in Boston, MA

Abstract:

Our perceptions of health, fitness and wellness are in a constant state of evolution. What was once perceived as desirable – being thin – is being replaced with aspirations of strength – #strongisthenewskinny. The use of hashtags and images in the world of Instagram is emblematic of this shift. By hashtagging, Instagrammers – so-called ‘Fitsagrammers’ – are able to link their pictures and profiles to specific keywords and, by extension, specific online fitness communities.

The act of hashtagging, however, is a subjective one; it is the person who posts a picture that decides which tags to use, and therefore which communities they belong to. This means that differing perceptions of health and fitness, and different depictions of fit and unfit bodies, could end up grouped under the same hashtag.

Does this variation strengthen online fitness communities or weaken them? Is this difference accepted, or do communities fracture and break off when there is little to no consistency among the images and bodies that are associated with them? Why do some hashtags thrive while others die? To answer these questions, this paper uses content analysis to examine the role of language and images in the creation, growth and maintenance of online fitness communities created on Instagram.

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