A Digital Big Sister? Exploring Sisterhood on TikTok Through Neoliberal and Postfeminist Structures
(2024) MKVM13 20241Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
- Abstract
- This thesis investigates Storasystertips, or big sister advice amongst young Swedish women on TikTok and how it reflects gender dynamics and societal expectations on young women in contemporary society. Women’s cultural production is often met with disdain and reduced to being narcissistic, not realising that young women’s production is in fact shaped by broader postfeminist and neoliberal discourses of individualisation. More specifically, the research aimed to investigate whether this phenomenon can be interpreted as a manifestation of contemporary digital sisterhood. The research questions asked were: What characterises Storasystertips on TikTok and in what ways does it reflect contemporary feminism? What are the intrinsic and extrinsic... (More)
- This thesis investigates Storasystertips, or big sister advice amongst young Swedish women on TikTok and how it reflects gender dynamics and societal expectations on young women in contemporary society. Women’s cultural production is often met with disdain and reduced to being narcissistic, not realising that young women’s production is in fact shaped by broader postfeminist and neoliberal discourses of individualisation. More specifically, the research aimed to investigate whether this phenomenon can be interpreted as a manifestation of contemporary digital sisterhood. The research questions asked were: What characterises Storasystertips on TikTok and in what ways does it reflect contemporary feminism? What are the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of young women engaging in Storasystertips on TikTok, and what are the outcomes of this in terms of content focus and tone? And What challenges does the affordances of TikTok issue young women creators of advice-sharing content on TikTok? The study used a netnographic observation in order to give context to and characterise the Storasystertips videos. Further, it interviewed four people in order to get insight into the motivations, experiences and attitudes of the women creating this content. This, in order to explore how external factors such as societal norms and structures, alongside intrinsic motivations such as the internally rewarding feeling, shape the motivations and outcomes of advice-sharing content creation. The research was then analysed through the context of neoliberalism and postfeminism as well how the affordances of TikTok shape communication online, and how this might affect the outcome of production. This study has found that Storasystertips characterised by themes such as self-reliance, relationships, body image, and agency, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the issues young women encounter as they navigate adolescence and early adulthood. Through sharing their stories, offering guidance, and challenging conventions, these creators empower a generation of young women to embrace their individuality, prioritise their well-being, and forge their own paths forward. However, the emphasis on individual agency and empowerment, consequently reflect broader postfeminism and neoliberal narratives that prioritise personal responsibility and self-empowerment. The motivations behind creating content on platforms like TikTok among young women are multifaceted, stemming from both internal and external factors. Externally, the creators respond to the current social media climate, but the primary motivation for content creation stems from personal experiences and an interest in, and desire to help others. Although participants find content creation on the platform rewarding and motivating, they encounter several challenges along the way. These are rooted in the affordances of TikTok and include being exposed to misogyny, and navigating being public with a fear of being exposed to the wrong audience. Finally, the study found that while the sisterly advice exchanged on TikTok serves as a platform for women to navigate shared struggles and receive guidance, fostering a sense of community and mutual support, prevalent emphasis on individual agency and empowerment undermines the broader feminist movement’s as a whole. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9161786
- author
- Lundén, Julia LU
- supervisor
-
- Tobias Linné LU
- organization
- course
- MKVM13 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Digital Sisterhood, Sharing Advice, Women’s cultural production, Community, TikTok, Postfeminism, Neoliberalism
- language
- English
- id
- 9161786
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-17 15:46:57
- date last changed
- 2024-06-17 15:46:57
@misc{9161786,
abstract = {{This thesis investigates Storasystertips, or big sister advice amongst young Swedish women on TikTok and how it reflects gender dynamics and societal expectations on young women in contemporary society. Women’s cultural production is often met with disdain and reduced to being narcissistic, not realising that young women’s production is in fact shaped by broader postfeminist and neoliberal discourses of individualisation. More specifically, the research aimed to investigate whether this phenomenon can be interpreted as a manifestation of contemporary digital sisterhood. The research questions asked were: What characterises Storasystertips on TikTok and in what ways does it reflect contemporary feminism? What are the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of young women engaging in Storasystertips on TikTok, and what are the outcomes of this in terms of content focus and tone? And What challenges does the affordances of TikTok issue young women creators of advice-sharing content on TikTok? The study used a netnographic observation in order to give context to and characterise the Storasystertips videos. Further, it interviewed four people in order to get insight into the motivations, experiences and attitudes of the women creating this content. This, in order to explore how external factors such as societal norms and structures, alongside intrinsic motivations such as the internally rewarding feeling, shape the motivations and outcomes of advice-sharing content creation. The research was then analysed through the context of neoliberalism and postfeminism as well how the affordances of TikTok shape communication online, and how this might affect the outcome of production. This study has found that Storasystertips characterised by themes such as self-reliance, relationships, body image, and agency, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the issues young women encounter as they navigate adolescence and early adulthood. Through sharing their stories, offering guidance, and challenging conventions, these creators empower a generation of young women to embrace their individuality, prioritise their well-being, and forge their own paths forward. However, the emphasis on individual agency and empowerment, consequently reflect broader postfeminism and neoliberal narratives that prioritise personal responsibility and self-empowerment. The motivations behind creating content on platforms like TikTok among young women are multifaceted, stemming from both internal and external factors. Externally, the creators respond to the current social media climate, but the primary motivation for content creation stems from personal experiences and an interest in, and desire to help others. Although participants find content creation on the platform rewarding and motivating, they encounter several challenges along the way. These are rooted in the affordances of TikTok and include being exposed to misogyny, and navigating being public with a fear of being exposed to the wrong audience. Finally, the study found that while the sisterly advice exchanged on TikTok serves as a platform for women to navigate shared struggles and receive guidance, fostering a sense of community and mutual support, prevalent emphasis on individual agency and empowerment undermines the broader feminist movement’s as a whole.}},
author = {{Lundén, Julia}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{A Digital Big Sister? Exploring Sisterhood on TikTok Through Neoliberal and Postfeminist Structures}},
year = {{2024}},
}