New Books in Sociology Digital Expressions of the Self(ie): The Social Life of Selfies in India
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Oct 6, 2025 This discussion features Avishek Ray, an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Technology Silchar, focusing on digital culture in South Asia. He uncovers how selfies in India are more than mere images—they reflect and shape identities, class, and power dynamics. Avishek highlights the unique aspects of Indian selfies, including their entwinement with societal issues like surveillance and mortality. He argues selfies serve as both self-making and a political statement, offering rich insights into contemporary culture.
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Everyday Selfies Have Big Social Weight
- Selfies are ordinary acts that carry significant social meaning and deserve academic attention.
- Avishek Ray argues selfies function as performances, negotiations, and tools of control in everyday life.
Public Parks And Insta-Worthy Cafes
- In Delhi, young men choreograph Instagram reels in public parks to claim space and craft masculine identities.
- In Kolkata, 'Insta-worthy' cafes stage middle-class leisure and visual aesthetics for social media display.
Compulsory Selfies And Object Selfies
- Sanitation workers must upload geotagged selfies as proof of attendance, sparking debates on dignity and surveillance.
- People also post 'object' selfies like book stacks to signal class and aspiration rather than show faces.
