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Digital Media and Society Series
Instagram: Visual Social Media Cultures
Instagram is at the heart of global digital culture, having made selfies, filters and square frames an inescapable part of everyday life since it was launched in 2010.
In the first book-length examination of Instagram, Tama Leaver, Tim Highfield and Crystal Abidin trace how this quintessential mobile photography app has developed as a platform and a culture. They consider aspects such as the new visual social media aesthetics, the rise of Influencers and new visual economies, and the complex politics of the platform as well as examining how Instagram's users change their use of the platform over time and respond to evolving features. The book highlights the different ways Instagram is used by subcultural groups around the world, and how museums, restaurants and public spaces are striving to be 'Insta-worthy'. Far from just capturing milestones and moments, the authors argue that Instagram has altered the ways people communicate and share, while also creating new approaches to marketing, advertising, politics and the design of spaces and venues.
Rich with grounded examples from across the world, from birth pictures to selfies at funerals, Instagram is essential reading for students and scholars of media and communication.
In the first book-length examination of Instagram, Tama Leaver, Tim Highfield and Crystal Abidin trace how this quintessential mobile photography app has developed as a platform and a culture. They consider aspects such as the new visual social media aesthetics, the rise of Influencers and new visual economies, and the complex politics of the platform as well as examining how Instagram's users change their use of the platform over time and respond to evolving features. The book highlights the different ways Instagram is used by subcultural groups around the world, and how museums, restaurants and public spaces are striving to be 'Insta-worthy'. Far from just capturing milestones and moments, the authors argue that Instagram has altered the ways people communicate and share, while also creating new approaches to marketing, advertising, politics and the design of spaces and venues.
Rich with grounded examples from across the world, from birth pictures to selfies at funerals, Instagram is essential reading for students and scholars of media and communication.
256 pages, Paperback
Published February 19, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 27, 2020
Great overview of the history and development of Instagram, which explains its largely descriptive approach. Though that fell short of what I expected the book to do in terms of analysis, and the insights I was hoping to glean on how "Instagram has altered the ways people communicate and share" (according to the book description).
Nonetheless, best chapters were chapter 5 that got me searching hashtags and learning about sub-cultures in Instagram I never heard of, and chapter 6 on user practices from birth to death, and how they can be avenues of expressing and making sense of our identity.
The last chapter on "From the Instagram of everything to the Everything of Instagram" was promising, but I wished there was more exploration on the idea of the 'templatability of instagram' -e.g. on how it frames/constrains the way we express ourselves, and how that relates to the way users negotiate their identity.
Overall a well-researched and comprehensive overview of the history, and perhaps meant primarily as that alone.
Nonetheless, best chapters were chapter 5 that got me searching hashtags and learning about sub-cultures in Instagram I never heard of, and chapter 6 on user practices from birth to death, and how they can be avenues of expressing and making sense of our identity.
The last chapter on "From the Instagram of everything to the Everything of Instagram" was promising, but I wished there was more exploration on the idea of the 'templatability of instagram' -e.g. on how it frames/constrains the way we express ourselves, and how that relates to the way users negotiate their identity.
Overall a well-researched and comprehensive overview of the history, and perhaps meant primarily as that alone.
December 31, 2021
I was honestly impressed that this book was as comprehensive and interesting as it was. Sometimes even scholarly works on recent and quick-changing topics like trends or technology feel quickly written and lacking in both detail and nuance as far as understanding the cultural significance of the thing they're writing about - usually by the time they come out their takes on the most recent trends are hopelessly outdated. This book rather pleasantly avoided those cliches and was an interesting read on the history of Instagram as well as various ways that the platform has evolved and developed. Some elements of certain chapters were a little dated, and the last full chapter on Instagram and human lifecycles felt a little out of place, but the book as a whole was very readable and analytical, and did a great job introducing relevant literature and really interesting commentary about the platform while acknowledging that any attempt to understand it is necessarily an ongoing project.
October 26, 2022
Fantastic overview of the platform. As a 2000s kid raised on social media and Instagram, it's genuinely comprehensive, reviews all the main points from an academic and personal standpoint.
My undergrad thesis and I are grateful that this book exists. My lit review is looking way better.
My undergrad thesis and I are grateful that this book exists. My lit review is looking way better.
August 11, 2023
5🌟 great overview of the platform. definitely needs a second edition to add info about reels
February 12, 2024
Very good overview of instagram with relevant points. Could be more systematic. Too many random examples.
February 16, 2026
A good pairing for Nick Mirzeoff’s writing. Extremely dry, but makes clear how visual cultures offline have been changed by instagram.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews