Samenvattingen literatuur Perfect Self(ie)
Steph Lawler (2015) – Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities...............................................3
Steph Lawler (2015) – Masquerading as Ourselves: Self-Impersonation and Social Life.................................18
Heather Widdows (2012) – More Pain, Who Gains?......................................................................................28
Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work in Neo-Liberal
Digital Culture.............................................................................................................................................. 36
Katrin Tiidenberg (2018) – What are Selfies.................................................................................................. 44
Jill Walker Rettberg (2014) – Serial Selfies.................................................................................................... 57
Penny Tinkler (2014) – ‘Are You Really Living?’ If Not, ‘Get With It!’.............................................................63
Brita Ytre-Arne (2014) – Positioning the Self................................................................................................. 76
Katariina Kyrölä (2021) – Fat in the Media.................................................................................................... 87
Cat Pausé (2015) – Rebel Heart: Performing Fatness Wrong Online..............................................................95
Trudy Dehue (2008) – De Plicht tot het Lot in Eigen Handen te Nemen.........................................................99
Freja L. Jørgensen & Ea H. Utoft (2022) – “Show Your Maternity Leave on Your CV”: A Danish Neoliberal-
Feminist Movement on LinkedIn?.............................................................................................................. 107
Jocelyn M. DeGroot & Vik A. Tennley (2021) – “Fake Smile. Everything is Under Control.”: The Flawless
Preformance of Motherhood...................................................................................................................... 114
Mari Lehto (2020) – Bad is the New Good: Negotiating Bad Motherhood in Finnish Mommy Blogs.............121
Sirma Bilge (2010) – Beyond Subordination vs. Resistance: An Intersectionl Approach to the Agency of Veiled
Muslim Women......................................................................................................................................... 128
Beazley Caidi & Marquez (2010) – Holy Selfies: Performing Pilgrimage in the Age of Social Media...............134
Nicole B. Ellison, Jeffrey T. Hancock & Catalina L. Toma (2011) – Profile as Promise: A Framework for
Conceptualizing Veracity in Online Dating Self-Presentations.....................................................................141
Jeffrey A. Hall, Namkee Park, Hayeon Song & Michael J. Cody (2010) – Strategic Misrepresentation in Online
Dating: The Effects of Gender, Self-Monitoring, and Personality Traits........................................................148
Giulia Ranzini & Christoph Lutz (2017) – Love at First Swipe? Explaining Tinder Self-Presentation and Motives
.................................................................................................................................................................. 156
Deborah Lupton (2013) – Quantifying the Body: Monitoring and Measuring Health in the Age of mHealth
Technologies.............................................................................................................................................. 162
Sarah Riley, Adrienne Evans & Martine Robson (2018) – ‘Prologue’ in Postfeminism and Health: Critical
Psychology and Media Perspectives........................................................................................................... 167
Ana Sofia Elias & Rosalind Gill (2018) – Beauty Surveillance: the Digital Self-Monitoring Cultures of
Neoliberalism............................................................................................................................................ 172
,Wendy H. K. Chun & Sarah Friedland (2015) – Habits of Leaking: Of Sluts and Network Cards.....................179
Nishant Shah (2015) – Sluts ‘r’Us: Intersections of Gender, Protocol, and Agency in the Digital Age............185
Abigail Tazzyman (2020) – Women’s Self-Presentation and the Transition from Classroom to Workplace. . .191
Catherine Rottenberg (2017) – Neoliberal Feminism and the Future of Human Capital................................199
Crystal Abidin (2015) – Communicative <3 Intimacies: Influencers and Perceived Interconnectedness........206
Loes van Driel & Delia Dumitrica (2021) – Selling Brands while Staying “Authentic”: The Professionalization of
Instagram Influencers................................................................................................................................ 210
,Steph Lawler (2015) – Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities
Lawler, Steph. (2015). “Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities.” In:
Identities: Sociological Perspectives. Polity Press (p. 68-90).
Key concepts
Power and Self-Improvement Culture:
- Contemporary Western culture promotes self-improvement through reality TV, self-
help books, and therapeutic practices.
- This culture emphasizes autonomy, but its practicality is questioned in an
interconnected world.
Foucault’s Notion of Power:
- Foucault challenges the idea that knowledge is power; instead, power generates
“truths” that shape how we think.
- Power operates not just through control but by shaping our beliefs and understanding
of the world.
Construction of Sexual Identity:
- Foucault shows how the concept of “the homosexual” emerged through categorization
of sexual behaviors into identities.
- This categorization was influenced by pseudo-science and created new categories of
people based on behaviors.
Subjectivity and Governmentality:
- Foucault’s concept of subjectivity emphasizes that identities are constructed through
knowledge and discourse.
- Modern forms of government focus on normalizing and categorizing populations for
specific policy goals.
Psy Complex and Self-Improvement:
- Modern society is influenced by psychological expertise (“psy complex”) that shapes
self-perceptions.
- Expert knowledge is pervasive, influencing daily life and self-improvement efforts.
Autonomous Self and Identity Politics:
- The ideal self is autonomous and engaged in constant self-improvement.
, - Therapeutic culture pathologizes non-conformity and shapes how people view
themselves.
Governmental Power and Parenting:
- The state exercises power through regulatory mechanisms, including expert advice on
parenting.
- The state’s power is exerted through norms and advice rather than outright coercion.
Power, Resistance, and Awareness:
- Power operates subtly, shaping how we perceive ourselves and others.
- Resistance against power requires strategic opposition to dominant discourses.
- Vigilant awareness is crucial to navigating and challenging complex power structures.
Terrorists and Identity:
- The labeling of individuals as “terrorists” creates a perception of them as outsiders,
different from “normal” citizens.
- Identity becomes about who they are perceived to be rather than just their actions.
Complex Relationship between Power and Identity:
- People’s self-perceptions are intertwined with external power dynamics.
- Understanding why certain self-concepts are embraced more than others is a
challenge.
Foucault’s Gap and Psychoanalysis:
- Foucault’s work highlights what can be thought and said but doesn’t fully explain how
people incorporate these ideas.
- Some scholars tried to combine Foucault’s ideas with psychoanalysis, though Foucault
would have disagreed.
These concepts highlight the intricate relationship between power, knowledge, and self-
perception, as well as how societal norms and expert advice shape individuals’ identities and
behaviors.
Korte samenvatting van de tekst
Deze tekst bespreekt de prevalentie van zelfverbetering in de hedendaagse westerse cultuur,
zoals waargenomen in reality-tv, zelfhulp-literatuur en psychologische expertise. Het
introduceert de inzichten van Michel Foucault over macht, kennis en het zelf, waarbij
traditionele perspectieven worden uitgedaagd. Foucault benadrukt de invloed van macht op
waarheden en identiteiten, waarbij hij verschuift van verbiedende naar normaliserende
machtsdynamiek. Hij legt verbanden tussen macht en kennis en laat zien hoe discoursen
Steph Lawler (2015) – Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities...............................................3
Steph Lawler (2015) – Masquerading as Ourselves: Self-Impersonation and Social Life.................................18
Heather Widdows (2012) – More Pain, Who Gains?......................................................................................28
Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work in Neo-Liberal
Digital Culture.............................................................................................................................................. 36
Katrin Tiidenberg (2018) – What are Selfies.................................................................................................. 44
Jill Walker Rettberg (2014) – Serial Selfies.................................................................................................... 57
Penny Tinkler (2014) – ‘Are You Really Living?’ If Not, ‘Get With It!’.............................................................63
Brita Ytre-Arne (2014) – Positioning the Self................................................................................................. 76
Katariina Kyrölä (2021) – Fat in the Media.................................................................................................... 87
Cat Pausé (2015) – Rebel Heart: Performing Fatness Wrong Online..............................................................95
Trudy Dehue (2008) – De Plicht tot het Lot in Eigen Handen te Nemen.........................................................99
Freja L. Jørgensen & Ea H. Utoft (2022) – “Show Your Maternity Leave on Your CV”: A Danish Neoliberal-
Feminist Movement on LinkedIn?.............................................................................................................. 107
Jocelyn M. DeGroot & Vik A. Tennley (2021) – “Fake Smile. Everything is Under Control.”: The Flawless
Preformance of Motherhood...................................................................................................................... 114
Mari Lehto (2020) – Bad is the New Good: Negotiating Bad Motherhood in Finnish Mommy Blogs.............121
Sirma Bilge (2010) – Beyond Subordination vs. Resistance: An Intersectionl Approach to the Agency of Veiled
Muslim Women......................................................................................................................................... 128
Beazley Caidi & Marquez (2010) – Holy Selfies: Performing Pilgrimage in the Age of Social Media...............134
Nicole B. Ellison, Jeffrey T. Hancock & Catalina L. Toma (2011) – Profile as Promise: A Framework for
Conceptualizing Veracity in Online Dating Self-Presentations.....................................................................141
Jeffrey A. Hall, Namkee Park, Hayeon Song & Michael J. Cody (2010) – Strategic Misrepresentation in Online
Dating: The Effects of Gender, Self-Monitoring, and Personality Traits........................................................148
Giulia Ranzini & Christoph Lutz (2017) – Love at First Swipe? Explaining Tinder Self-Presentation and Motives
.................................................................................................................................................................. 156
Deborah Lupton (2013) – Quantifying the Body: Monitoring and Measuring Health in the Age of mHealth
Technologies.............................................................................................................................................. 162
Sarah Riley, Adrienne Evans & Martine Robson (2018) – ‘Prologue’ in Postfeminism and Health: Critical
Psychology and Media Perspectives........................................................................................................... 167
Ana Sofia Elias & Rosalind Gill (2018) – Beauty Surveillance: the Digital Self-Monitoring Cultures of
Neoliberalism............................................................................................................................................ 172
,Wendy H. K. Chun & Sarah Friedland (2015) – Habits of Leaking: Of Sluts and Network Cards.....................179
Nishant Shah (2015) – Sluts ‘r’Us: Intersections of Gender, Protocol, and Agency in the Digital Age............185
Abigail Tazzyman (2020) – Women’s Self-Presentation and the Transition from Classroom to Workplace. . .191
Catherine Rottenberg (2017) – Neoliberal Feminism and the Future of Human Capital................................199
Crystal Abidin (2015) – Communicative <3 Intimacies: Influencers and Perceived Interconnectedness........206
Loes van Driel & Delia Dumitrica (2021) – Selling Brands while Staying “Authentic”: The Professionalization of
Instagram Influencers................................................................................................................................ 210
,Steph Lawler (2015) – Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities
Lawler, Steph. (2015). “Becoming Ourselves: Governing and/through Identities.” In:
Identities: Sociological Perspectives. Polity Press (p. 68-90).
Key concepts
Power and Self-Improvement Culture:
- Contemporary Western culture promotes self-improvement through reality TV, self-
help books, and therapeutic practices.
- This culture emphasizes autonomy, but its practicality is questioned in an
interconnected world.
Foucault’s Notion of Power:
- Foucault challenges the idea that knowledge is power; instead, power generates
“truths” that shape how we think.
- Power operates not just through control but by shaping our beliefs and understanding
of the world.
Construction of Sexual Identity:
- Foucault shows how the concept of “the homosexual” emerged through categorization
of sexual behaviors into identities.
- This categorization was influenced by pseudo-science and created new categories of
people based on behaviors.
Subjectivity and Governmentality:
- Foucault’s concept of subjectivity emphasizes that identities are constructed through
knowledge and discourse.
- Modern forms of government focus on normalizing and categorizing populations for
specific policy goals.
Psy Complex and Self-Improvement:
- Modern society is influenced by psychological expertise (“psy complex”) that shapes
self-perceptions.
- Expert knowledge is pervasive, influencing daily life and self-improvement efforts.
Autonomous Self and Identity Politics:
- The ideal self is autonomous and engaged in constant self-improvement.
, - Therapeutic culture pathologizes non-conformity and shapes how people view
themselves.
Governmental Power and Parenting:
- The state exercises power through regulatory mechanisms, including expert advice on
parenting.
- The state’s power is exerted through norms and advice rather than outright coercion.
Power, Resistance, and Awareness:
- Power operates subtly, shaping how we perceive ourselves and others.
- Resistance against power requires strategic opposition to dominant discourses.
- Vigilant awareness is crucial to navigating and challenging complex power structures.
Terrorists and Identity:
- The labeling of individuals as “terrorists” creates a perception of them as outsiders,
different from “normal” citizens.
- Identity becomes about who they are perceived to be rather than just their actions.
Complex Relationship between Power and Identity:
- People’s self-perceptions are intertwined with external power dynamics.
- Understanding why certain self-concepts are embraced more than others is a
challenge.
Foucault’s Gap and Psychoanalysis:
- Foucault’s work highlights what can be thought and said but doesn’t fully explain how
people incorporate these ideas.
- Some scholars tried to combine Foucault’s ideas with psychoanalysis, though Foucault
would have disagreed.
These concepts highlight the intricate relationship between power, knowledge, and self-
perception, as well as how societal norms and expert advice shape individuals’ identities and
behaviors.
Korte samenvatting van de tekst
Deze tekst bespreekt de prevalentie van zelfverbetering in de hedendaagse westerse cultuur,
zoals waargenomen in reality-tv, zelfhulp-literatuur en psychologische expertise. Het
introduceert de inzichten van Michel Foucault over macht, kennis en het zelf, waarbij
traditionele perspectieven worden uitgedaagd. Foucault benadrukt de invloed van macht op
waarheden en identiteiten, waarbij hij verschuift van verbiedende naar normaliserende
machtsdynamiek. Hij legt verbanden tussen macht en kennis en laat zien hoe discoursen
