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Selling the Self: Influencer Culture and Digital Capitalism

Module description

The term ‘influencer’ is both ubiquitous and controversial within media discussions of the internet, youth, work, and fame. Influencer culture has dramatically changed how businesses market themselves and engage with consumers, as well as the ways that people portray themselves online. This module critically examines how influencers sell products, services, and lifestyles through ‘personal branding,’ within the context of late-stage capitalism and ‘perma-crisis,’ such as climate change and an unaffordable cost-of-living. It will also draw upon feminist theories to interrogate the often gendered media narratives surrounding influencers, and will explore the role of some influencers in organising social activism and resisting stereotypes. The module will map the history of the relationship between influencer culture and the internet and will explore topics such as family vlogging and ‘mom-fluencers,’ health and wellness, fashion, digital sex work, fandoms and the far-right. We will draw upon a range of critical approaches to think about consumption, digital spaces and capitalism.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to:

• Help students critically engage with the ways that influencer culture has impacted the relationship between businesses and consumers.
• Critically examine the ways that people’s identities are cultivated online.
• Introduce some of the key issues that surround influencing, drawing upon a range of cultural theories to think beyond the – often gendered – media construction of ‘the influencer.’

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge and critical understanding of influencing as part of wider socioeconomic issues.
• 2. Critically engage with a range of media theories to explore the relationship between influencer culture, capitalism, and the internet.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of how media and communications theory can be applied in a creative portfolio and magazine on influencer culture.
• 4. Conduct high-quality research and critical analysis of information from a range of appropriate primary and secondary sources.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate creative skills the submission of the creative portfolio and magazine article.
• 6. Develop an understanding of producing trans-media content that is shareable across digital platforms.

Syllabus plan

The module will take a thematic approach to the study of influencer culture and digital capitalism. Topics covered might include but are not limited to:

• The rise of the influencer
• The reality TV to influencer pipeline
• Momfluencers and family vloggers
• Multi-Level Marketing and pyramid schemes
• Gym-influencers and diet culture
• Digital fandom
• Fast fashion and slow fashion
• Cottagecore and the Alt-Right
• The Podcast Bro
• Digital sex work

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of a deferral will not be capped and will be treated as if it was your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Abidin, C., 2016. “Aren’t these just young, rich women doing vain things online?”: Influencer selfies as subversive frivolity. Social media+ society, 2(2), p.2056305116641342.
• Abidin, C., 2016. Visibility labour: Engaging with Influencers’ fashion brands and# OOTD advertorial campaigns on Instagram. Media International Australia, 161(1), pp.86-100.
• Abidin, C., 2017. # familygoals: Family influencers, calibrated amateurism, and justifying young digital labor. Social Media+ Society, 3(2), p.2056305117707191.
• Bradley, C. and Oates, H.E., 2021. The Multi-Level Marketing Pandemic. Tenn. L. Rev., 89, p.321.
• Burns, K.S., 2021. The history of social media influencers. in Research perspectives on social media influencers and brand communication, pp.1-22.
• Carter, D., 2016. Hustle and brand: The sociotechnical shaping of influence. Social Media + Society, 2(3), p.2056305116666305.
• Finlayson, A., 2021. Neoliberalism, the alt-right and the intellectual dark web. Theory, Culture & Society, 38(6), pp.167-190.
• Proctor, D., 2022. The #tradwife persona and the rise of radicalized white domesticity. Persona Studies, 8(2), pp.7-26.
• Jones, A., 2015. Sex work in a digital era. Sociology Compass, 9(7), pp.558-570.
• Rogan, F., 2022. Digital Femininities: The Gendered Construction of Cultural and Political Identities Online. Taylor & Francis.
• Senft, T.M., 2013. Microcelebrity and the branded self. A companion to new media dynamics, pp.346-354.

Key words search

Media; Social Media; Influencer Culture; Capitalism; Cultural Theory; Digital Marketing