Digital Identit(y/ies)Andy CoverdaleChallenging the BinariesUniversity of Sheffield | 29 June 2012
Digital Identity
Socio technical and virtuality constructs
Identity is ‘multiphrenic’ (Gergan, 2000)
Identity as reified forms of social and cultural practice
Ima
ge
Je
ns
He
sse
| W
om
an
(A
fric
an
) | o
il o
n c
ord
uro
y (2
01
1)
htt
p:/
/ww
w.je
nsh
ess
e.c
om
Doctoral Context
PhD as transformative
Critical role in the development of an academic / professional identity
Positionality – locating oneself in the research ‘field’
‘Fractured subjectivities’ (Barnacle & Mewburn, 2010)
Identity and agency
Ba
se
d o
n U
she
r, R
., B
rya
nt,
I.,
& J
oh
nst
on
, R
. (1
99
6).
Ad
ult
Ed
uca
tion
an
d t
he
P
ost
mo
de
rn C
ha
llen
ge
: L
ea
rnin
g B
eyo
nd
th
e L
imits
. L
on
do
n:
Ro
utle
dg
e..
‘Confessional’ Practice (Modernist)
‘Critical’ Practice(Postmodernist)
Determined by dominant structures
Socially constructed and culturally mediated
Stable Flexible and in flux
Singular and developmental Multiple and fragmentary
Unified across multiple contexts
Diversified across multiple contexts
Identity is…
Sociocultural Perspectives
Identity as reified forms of perfomativity - social production, interaction and participation
Prioritisation, roles and ‘provisional selves’
Situated learning - increased capacity to participate in communities of practice
a socially and culturally constructed realm of interpretation in which particular characters and actors are recognized, significance is assigned to certain acts, and particular outcomes are valued over others.
Holland et al. (1998)
“ “FiguredWorld
Ho
llan
d,
D.,
La
chic
ott
e,
W.
Jr.,
Ski
nn
er,
D.,
& C
ain
, C
. (1
99
8).
Id
en
tity
an
d a
ge
ncy
in
cultu
ral w
orld
s. C
am
brid
ge
, M
ass
: H
arv
ard
Un
ive
rsity
Pre
ss.
Research Design_________________________________________
Participants
Six PhD students:• Different stages of PhD• Humanities, Soc. Sci. & interdisciplinary• UK-based - ‘traditional’ faculty & DTCs
Data Collection
15-month period:• Digital artefacts (blog posts, tweets etc.)• Field notes• Participant-reported accounts• Three interviews with each participant
Data Analysis
Activity Theory:• Descriptive analytical framework• Open coding and thick description
Some Findings_____________________________________________
Identity Construction
• Cultural artefacts• Genre knowledge and figured worlds
Negotiating Practice Contexts
• Multiple doctoral research cultures• Peripheral doctoral contexts
Authenticity in Digital Contexts
• “Privileged Insight”• Social, cultural and political dimensions
Some Findings_____________________________________________
Partiality in Digital Contexts
• Partially realised identities• Integrated with other doctoral practices• Dominant cultural practices
Ambiguity in Digital Contexts
• Interactive vs. broadcast metaphors• Imagined audiences
(R)ecognising technology practice as diverse and constitutive of personal identity, including identity in different peer, subject and workplace communities, and individual styles of participation.
Beetham et al. (2009:3)
“ “DigitalLiteracies
Be
eth
am
, H
., M
cGill
, L
., &
Litt
lejo
hn
, A
. (2
00
9).
Th
rivin
g in
th
e 2
1st
ce
ntu
ry:
Lite
raci
es
for
the
dig
ital a
ge
(L
LiD
A P
roje
ct).
Th
e C
ale
do
nia
n A
cad
em
y. J
ISC
.
Thanks
Andy Coverdale
Blog: http://www.phdblog.netTwitter: @andycoverdale
Top Related