Instagram as a Public Sphere: Women as Participants in Leisure Time Physical Activity and Representation

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 34 Sayı: 4, 168 - 184, 05.01.2024

Mine Kızılgüneş Pinar Ozturk

https://doi.org/10.17644/sbd.1287593

Öz

Instagram, as a public space, is a platform that affects individuals' practices of participating in leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and shapes these practices with the interaction received from followers. It is known that digital platforms provide a basis for the representation of different identities with dualities such as freedom and control. Drawing on the Digital Leisure theory (Spracklen, 2015), the aim of this study is to examine the role of Instagram for "ordinary people" in their relationship with LTPA. Within the scope of the qualitative research method, a total of 209 posts related to LTPA on the Instagram accounts of eight women between the ages of 21-44 who regularly (min. 1 max. 4 years) participate in LTPA (running, yoga, fitness, crossfit etc.) and created Instagram accounts in this direction were pre-analyzed with the document collection technique and Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted. In the analysis of the data, the reflexive thematic analysis method (Braun and Clark, 2019) and the framework suggested by Schreiber (2017) for visual communication analysis on social media were used. As a result of the analysis, three themes were developed: "Everything is Real: Change", "Interaction and Cycle" and "A Diary Written Under Supervision". Findings show that a) LTPA, which the participants started with a desire for change such as losing weight or being healthy, has moved to an interaction-centered order through Instagram accounts, b) interaction with followers strengthens the participants' desire to be a source of inspiration by intertwining "daily life and "digital" life, and c) It shows that they manage their Instagram accounts with security strategies in parallel with interactions or to attract follower attention. In conclusion, this study shows how Instagram is constructed as a public space in the production of LTPA -related self-representation, suggesting that LTPA participation should not be considered independent of follower interactions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Digital Leisure Time, Leisure Time Physical Activity, Public Sphere, Instagram, Ordinary Women

Kamusal Alan Olarak Instagram: Serbest Zaman Fiziksel Aktivite Katılımcısı Kadınlar ve Temsil

Öz

Kamusal alan olarak Instagram, bireylerin serbest zaman fiziksel aktiviteye (SZFA) katılma pratiklerini etkileyen ve takipçilerden alınan etkileşim ile bu pratikleri şekillendiren bir platformdur. Dijital platformların özgürlük ve kontrol gibi ikilikler ile farklı kimliklerin temsiline zemin sunduğu bilinmektedir. Dijital Serbest Zaman kuramından (Spracklen, 2015) yararlanılan bu çalışmanın amacı “sıradan insanlar” için Instagram’ın SZFA ile ilişkilerindeki rolünü incelemektir. Nitel araştırma yöntemi kapsamında düzenli olarak (en az bir, en fazla dört yıl) SZFA’ya (koşu, yoga, fitness, crossfit vb.) katılan ve bu içerikle Instagram hesabı oluşturan 21-44 yaş aralığındaki sekiz kadına ait Instagram hesabındaki SZFA ile ilişkili toplam 209 paylaşım doküman toplama tekniğiyle ön analiz edilmiş ve sonrasında katılımcılarla yarı yapılandırılmış bireysel görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde düşünümsel tematik analiz yönteminden (Braun ve Clark, 2019) ve Schreiber’in (2017) sosyal medyada görsel iletişim analizi için önerdiği çerçeveden yararlanılmıştır. Analizler sonucunda “Her şey Reel: Değişim”, “Etkileşim ve Döngü” ve “Denetim Altında Yazılan Bir Günlük” isimlerinde üç tema geliştirilmiştir. Bulgular, a) katılımcıların kilo vermek ya da sağlıklı olmak gibi değişim isteğiyle başladıkları SZFA’nın Instagram hesapları aracılığıyla etkileşim merkezli bir pratiğe dönüştüğünü, b) takipçiler ile etkileşimin “gündelik” hayat ile “dijital” hayatı iç içe geçirerek katılımcıların ilham kaynağı olma arzularını güçlendirdiğini ve c) Instagram hesaplarını etkileşimlerle paralel yönde güvenlik stratejileri ya da takipçi ilgisini çekmek üzerine yönettiklerini göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma Instagram’ın SZFA ile ilişkili öz temsilin üretilmesinde nasıl bir kamusal alan olarak kurgulandığını göstererek, SZFA katılımının takipçi etkileşimlerinden bağımsız düşünülmemesi gerektiğini öne sürmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Dijital Serbest Zaman, Serbest Zaman Fiziksel Aktivite, Kamusal Alan, Instagram, Sıradan Kadınlar

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