Selfie for Attention: Practice of Hijab Selfie on Instagram

Abstract

This paper studies digital self-portraiture (the ‘Selfie’), a social phenomenon and part of modern life. The Selfiecity research project (2014) demonstrates that selfies are mostly done by women. However, there is little research related to the so-called ‘hijab selfie’. Hijabed women deal with the tension between religious norms and their desire to be recognized. This paper considers the practice of hijab selfies using Foucault’s concept, technologies of the self. This study also applies Theo van Leeuwen’s social semiotics. This study is based on the compilation account @jilbab_chantik, an active account with more than 39,000 followers. Instagram is considered a space to celebrate the freedom of self-representation. Attention is indicated by the number of likes, comments, and increasing follower numbers. This compilation account @jilbab_chantik facilitates the desire of hijab women to add followers attaining their desire for recognition. Keywords: Hijab Selfie, Instagram, Practice, Desire, Attention