Self(ie) Reflections
Usha Raman
The podcast series Self(ie) Reflections serves as an intellectual companion to the research project Digital Expressions of the Self(ie): The Social Life of Selfies in India. Over four episodes, the series deconstructs the selfie as an iterative, performative practice that reshapes the relationship between identity, space, and power.
From the "insta-worthy" cafes of Kolkata to the TikTok hotspots of Delhi's ruins, the podcast highlights how digital performance allows individuals to reclaim physical space and negotiate visibility. It contrasts the hyper-visible "attitude" videos of Delhi’s working-class youth with the curated "performing objects" of Bookstagram and Inktober, where personal identity is expressed through the curation of tea, books, and art rather than the face.
The series also confronts the darker side of digital culture: datafication