@misc{9244187,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores Gen Z’s use of compact digital cameras in a hyper-digital age. While previous research on nostalgic consumption has largely focused on analogue technologies and material artefacts such as vinyl records and film photography, less attention has been given to retro digital devices that imitate analogue aesthetics while remaining fully digital.

Using a qualitative approach, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with Gen Z digicam users in Europe. The analysis is based on two theories: Belk’s concept of the Extended Self and Goffman’s framework of self-presentation.

The findings suggest that the compact digital cameras from the early 2000s, which are the focus of this research, function not merely as tools for documentation, but as symbolic devices through which Gen Z constructs and performs identity. Participants associated them with authenticity, intentionality, nostalgia, and presence in contrast to hyper-digital smartphone culture. Despite remaining fully digital, the compact digital cameras were experienced through logics traditionally associated with analogue media, such as aura, imperfection, and emotional meaning.

This thesis contributes to the literature on nostalgic consumption and Consumer Culture Theory by demonstrating how authenticity, nostalgia, and identity construction may emerge through retro digital objects occupying an ambiguous position between analogue nostalgia and contemporary digital culture.}},
  author       = {{Debipersad, Kiren Priyanka and Pavlova, Adriana}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Imperfect Aesthetic: Gen Z Negotiating Identity through Retro Digital Technologies in a Hyper-Digital Age}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}