Selfie appropriation by young British South Asian adults

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine how young British South Asian adults' dual cultural identity is exhibited and reaffirmed through the appropriation of selfies. Design/methodology/approach-The research adopts a qualitative perspective and utilises a combination of in-depth interviews and netnographic data. Findings-The appropriation of the selfie phenomenon by young British South Asian adults reifies, endorses and reinforces their dual cultural identity. As such, their dual cultural identity is influenced by four factors: consonance between host and ancestral cultures, situational constraints, contextual requirements and convenience. Research limitations/implications-In terms of the selfie phenomenon, the study makes two major contributions: first, it analyses young British South Asian adults' cultural dualism. Second, it explicates how their acculturation and their dual cultural identity are expressed through the appropriation of the selfie phenomenon. Practical implications-Since young British South Asians represent a significant, and distinct, market, organisations serving this market can marshal insights from this research. As such, managers who apprise themselves of the selfie phenomenon of this group are better placed to meet their consumer needs. Account, therefore, should be taken of their twofold cultural identity and dual British/Asian identification. In particular, consideration should be given to their distinct and demonstrable traits apropos religiosity and social, communal, and familial bonding. The characteristics were clearly evident via their interactions within social media. Consequently, senior marketing managers can utilise the aforementioned in positioning their organisations, their brands and their products and services. Originality/value-The study details a new quadripartite framework for analysing young British South Asian adults' acculturation that leads to the formation of their dual cultural identity and presents a dynamic model that explicates how cultural identity is expressed through the use and appropriation of technology.

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“…Expatriates were selected for this research on the grounds that expatriate family‐life revolves around the social groups created through online interaction (Dey et al, 2018; Kizgin et al, 2020). The sample was purposely selected based on age and expatriate status, given that expatriate children are predisposed to adapting and socializing (Dewaele & Van Oudenhoven, 2009).…”

“…SM offer both opportunities and challenges in the ways that pre-teens communicate and interact in various types of relationships (Lagíňová & Fornálová, 2018). In expatriate family-life, the social groups created through online interaction strengthen complex social and personal ties by transcending geography (Dey et al, 2018;Kizgin et al, 2020).…”

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