ANTHMETHGRP1-24-25-JIARONG-BAI

[Last modified: December, 18 2024 06:30 AM]

Why chose？

In today’s era of globalization and digitalization, social media has become the main battlefield for cultural exchange. Through social media, people from different cultural backgrounds show their unique styles of clothing, which is not only an expression of fashion, but also a manifestation of cultural identity. This theme was chosen to explore how the display of clothing on social media platforms, as a cultural symbol, influences and shapes the cultural identity of individuals and groups. This process is not only the transmission of aesthetics, but also the exchange and reproduction of cultural values and social significance.

Why not digital clothing？

Although virtual clothing, as an emerging fashion technology product, has a place in digital identity expression, its role in the formation of cultural identity is relatively new and not widespread. There are very few cases and data to study. In contrast, traditional clothing is more representative and universal, and can better reflect the deep connection between society and culture. The popularity of traditional clothing in daily life and the function of cultural representation make it an ideal object to study the formation of cultural identity under the influence of social media.

Research problem

1. Construction and expression of cultural identity: How does clothing display on social media construct or reconstruct an individual’s cultural identity?
The study will analyze how individuals in different cultural contexts express their social and cultural identities through their clothing choices, and how this expression is shaped by both global perspectives and local cultures.

2. The translation and adaptation of traditional clothing in modern social media culture.
Here, the study will focus on how traditional clothing has maintained its cultural significance under the extensive influence of social media, or how it has been reinterpreted to suit modern aesthetics and cultural dialogue. This includes exploring how traditional clothing has been passed down through different cultures and generations, and how these garments have undergone cultural appropriation or re-creation in their presentation on social media.

3. The role of social media as a medium of cultural communication: How can clothing promote cross-cultural understanding and conflict?
This question examines how the display of clothing on social media platforms can serve as a tool for intercultural dialogue, promoting or challenging intercultural understanding and acceptance. The study will explore how clothing acts as a bridge between cultures, including how it reveals cultural differences, promotes cultural assimilation, or leads to cultural friction.

[Last modified: December, 5 2024 10:57 PM]

Reviewing the research project of part-time master’s students on professional AIDS midwives in the UK, the first major challenge we faced was how to properly handle the sensitive issues related to data protection and privacy. The study involved medical and social data on HIV-positive women and their babies, which are particularly sensitive and highly likely to generate public concern and ethical controversy. Ensuring this data is strictly protected against any unauthorized access or leakage is a priority that must be addressed. Researchers should use anonymization techniques to ensure that only authorized person have access to relevant information and that relevant data protection regulations are strictly adhered to.

In dealing with power relations, we need to be aware of the potential inequality of power between midwives and HIV-positive women. Midwives, as the professionals who provide health care, often occupy a higher position of power in this relationship, which may stress on the participants. In order to ensure the ethics of research, it is essential to ensure that the informed consent obtained from each participant is fully voluntary and based on full knowledge of the content of the research. In addition, to relieve the effects of power imbalances, research teams should provide additional support and resources to ensure that participants feel respected and safe during the study.

Given that HIV-positive women are a medically and socially vulnerable group, so does HIV/AIDS itself is an extremely sensitive topic. Research must also provide appropriate mental health support and counselling services. This not only helps participants cope with the emotional distress that may be caused by the study, but also enhances their sense of trust and involvement in the study. This support is essential to ensure the ethical conduct of research and demonstrates our deep concern for the rights of participants.

Given these complex and sensitive factors, the research project should undoubtedly be submitted to the Anthropological Ethics Committee or UCL REC for a full ethical review. This is a key step in assessing whether the project meets high ethical standards and ensures that the research is conducted with respect for each participant. The project’s research methodology, participant protection measures, and data security policies should be presented in detail in the ethics review document so that the review committee can make appropriate judgments. This study is likely to be classified as medium to high risk because it involves sensitive data and vulnerable populations.

[Last modified: November, 29 2024 02:20 AM]

Multimodal ethnography is a technical or methodological innovation that touches on the core issues of anthropological research: representation, subjectivity, and power relations. The use of multimodal ethnography to study cultural practices such as “theatre of the Oppressed” can explore these issues more deeply.

In the Theater of the Oppressed, the roles of performer and audience are often fluid and interchangeable. The audience is empowered to express and intervene.  When multimodal ethnography records this fluidity and interactivity, it can theoretically enhance the subjectivity of the research object. Make it from the research “object” to the research partner. However, the realization of this transformation depends on the ethical awareness and practice of researchers. If researchers lack consideration of participants’ privacy and willingness, this method may violate them and become a new tool of oppression. By choosing what to record and display, how to record it, and when to display it, researchers are constantly shaping the power dynamics in the research scene. Theater organizers and facilitators need to carefully manage the power relationship between themselves and the participants when designing and leading the event, ensuring that the process truly reflects the voices of the participants and is not dictated by the views of the dominant players.

My research is based on social media platforms, which are similar to the Theater of the Oppressed. Users display their “digital clothing” by posting pictures, videos and other content. This expression is not only a visual display, but also a part of social interaction. This involves social feedback such as like, comment and sharing. This leads me to a new direction of research. As a consumer commodity, the expression of virtual clothing on social media is closely related to the motivation and impact of material consumption in the real world. The extension of consumerist culture into the virtual world may have exacerbated the commodification of personal identity. This phenomenon may lead individuals to pay more attention to superficial image on social media rather than deep personal values and qualities. Do they really like wearing digital clothing? Or just to follow the trend?

[Last modified: November, 20 2024 10:23 AM]

Subway is my main way of daily travel. It brings different people together closely, forming a unique social and cultural space. Since I live near Battersea Power Station, which is one of the terminate of Northern line. Normally, my trips are fairly easy. However, when I boarded Tottenham Court Road station during rush hour at the weekend, it was a very different experience.

When I stepped into the carriage, the sounds, light and space around me immediately began to have an effect on my body. The space inside is compact, and the distance between people is compressed to the limit. During rush hour, I can often feel the breath of the passengers around me, and even smell the smell of laundry liquid or people‘s exhaustion after a long day at work. This intense physical contact causes the boundaries between individuals to blur and people’s personal space to be redefined and negotiated.

The bump and acceleration gave me a physical intuition. When the subway starts slowly or comes to a halt, passengers’ bodies can’t help swaying forward or backward. This passive physical movement not only tests my balance, but also forces me to create an instantaneous physical connection with those around me. For example, a standing passenger had to reach out and grab my shoulder to steady himself. These encounters, though brief, build in wordlessness a sense of shared experience as we collectively experience the pace and challenges of the city’s rapid movement.

In addition, I realized that the posture of my body also affects my perception and emotional response to environment. For example, whenever I am lucky enough to find a seat, my muscles are relaxed, my mood is relatively peaceful. It is easier to turn my attention to a book or phone screen. When standing, I can feel the shaking and squeezing of the carriage more, and feel more nervous and alert psychologically.

In addition, my visual perception has also become extremely sharp during this process. In this small space, everyone’s sight and facial expressions become an important part of communication. Avoid eye contact or nod your head with a smile. These non-verbal forms of communication are especially important in dense public Spaces. They are tacit recognition of each other’s existence and a way of maintaining personal privacy and social decorum. And each expression reveals, in an instant, how the pace and pressures of urban life affect the individual.

Through this subway journey, I began to understand that the body is not only a social and cultural receptor, but also a subject involved in social interaction and cultural exchange. Every movement, every touch, is not just a physical event, but a product of cultural and social forces.

[Last modified: November, 20 2024 10:02 AM]

UCL’s IOE building is one of the most diverse areas on campus, with classrooms, cafes, study rooms and more. It is a microcosm of the students’ life, each seeking their own place in their academic journey. I chose to sit on the single sofa in the hallway, which gathered the most people so that I could observe.

An Asian boy, wearing black jeans and a beige bomber jacket, was hurrying from the end of the hallway to the other. He kept checking the time on his phone as he ran, because he was on his way to his next class. Such a rush is not unusual in this space. Because everyone’s schedule is strictly arranged, every minute is rushing for the future career.

The tension was in contrast to the scene across the corridor. Several girls who had just finished their course were talking happily. While discussing the classes they just finished, they shared their funny stories with each other, bringing a sense of relief to this intense learning atmosphere. This is the college life, study and social interwoven together, together woven youth.

On a sofa in the corner, a student with black glasses sat quietly. He hold the phone in hand, while often looking up and around. He seemed to be waiting for someone, perhaps a seminar partner, perhaps a simple moment of rest. Although his behaviour seems to be isolated from the outside world, he may actually be communicating with the outside world through his mobile phone.

In the booth in the distance, two students focus on their laptops and the papers scattered on their desktops. In addition, they have water bottles and snacks on the table. It was a marathon of minds, their eyes glued to the computer screen, occasionally discussing with each other the points of data analysis or research papers. This scene of concentration and collaboration is crucial in academic life. While pursuing the depth of knowledge, they are also building academic networks that support each other.

From these scenarios, several key anthropological themes can be distilled: the use of space, the impact of constructed environments on behavior, and the role of communication in shaping a sense of community. In particular, the theme of “communication” is particularly prominent in this diverse academic environment. Students communicate in a variety of ways: face-to-face conversations, remote communication via mobile phones, and academic discussions via laptops. Students find a sense of belonging in these exchanges and form a supportive community that is key to their ability to navigate college successfully.

[Last modified: November, 15 2024 08:29 AM]

My research explores the presentation of virtual fashion on social media and its impact on personal identity. Fashion, as a tool of cultural expression, is closely related to power structures, economic interests and social norms. The popularity of digital fashion reflects how technology is reshaping our cultural lives. This is not just a question of fashion or technology, but a political issue about cultural power and globalization.

First, a political hypothesis implicit in the research design is that globalized technological innovations provide equal opportunities for expression for people of different cultural backgrounds. However, this assumption may be too optimistic. It ignores the inequality of access to technology and the cultural exclusion that certain groups can face. This inequality is not limited to access to physical devices, but also includes access to technical knowledge, network infrastructure, and related content. My position is that technology should promote cultural diversity and inclusion, but it must also acknowledge the differences and inequalities that exist on the ground.

In addition, the study’s discussion of how digital fashion affects identity diversity also touches on politically sensitive topics. The display of digital fashion may intensify cultural assimilation, or it may stimulate new cultural conflicts. How to balance this is an important political question. For example, when the traditional clothing of a culture is reinterpreted in virtual form and disseminated globally, there may be opposition from insiders of that culture. Because most of the mainstream platforms and technologies are likely to primarily reflect Western aesthetic and cultural preferences. This can lead to the marginalization of other forms of cultural expression. They may see the display as a cultural misreading or commercialization.

By observing and discussing the acceptance of digital fashion by different cultures, we can understand how globalization affects the interaction between different cultures. It can also help us find some sensitive issues in culture, and further pay attention to and solve.

To accommodate these political factors, my research methods try to remain open and diverse. Through focus groups of multi-background users and extensive social media observations, I strive to capture and understand diverse cultural perspectives. In addition, through analysis and case studies, I try to show the sociocultural impact of virtual fashion in a comprehensive way while remaining sensitive to and respectful of different cultural needs and perspectives.

This approach aims not only to answer research questions but, through the research process itself, to provide a model for critical thinking about cultural diversity and the impact of technology, thereby positively impacting the wider political and cultural environment.

[Last modified: October, 25 2024 02:39 AM]

Select “Fashion Display and Identity on Social Media: How Technology and Virtual Clothing Are Changing Dressing Behavior and Cultural Identity “as a research topic stems from my long-standing interest in aesthetics and fashion. Growing up in a free and open family environment gave me the opportunity from an early age to explore personalized expression rather than simply following trends. This experience has profoundly influenced my understanding of fashion and provided me with a unique perspective on virtual fashion and cultural identity.

I always see fashion as an important tool to express myself, not just a pop symbol. Whether it is physical clothing or virtual clothing, I focus on visual symbols that represent “who I am.” This has led me in my research to explore how virtual fashion perpetuates the expression of personality and identity, perhaps ignoring its function as entertainment or escapism. To balance this bias, I make sure to design research questions that focus on both the self-expression function of virtual fashion and its role in cultural sharing and group interaction.

Since I have been fond of exploring different styles since childhood, my pursuit of uniqueness may lead me to pay more attention to personalized and differentiated expression, while ignoring that some users attach more importance to the identification with the group or the following of trends. When designing focus group discussions, I will make sure to cover the multiple roles of virtual fashion, both in terms of individual expression and its meaning as a group symbol.

My open upbringing has made me open to multiculturalism, especially when it comes to how virtual fashion can promote the spread of global trends. However, this may also lead me to underestimate the conflicts that virtual fashion causes in certain cultural contexts. In order to avoid this bias, I will pay more attention to cultural differences in my research, especially how virtual fashion triggers identity challenges or conflicts in different cultures.

Finally, the experience of choosing clothes independently has led me to view fashion as an external expression of my “inner self.” This personal perspective makes me tend to think that virtual fashion is a tool to strengthen identity construction in my research, and may overlook its function as entertainment, experiment or rebellion. When observing user behavior, I need to pay special attention to the multiple functions of virtual fashion and ensure that the research captures the full range of ways in which virtual fashion is used in different cultural contexts.

[Last modified: October, 13 2024 06:30 PM]

With Instagram open, I began to examine what was going on under the hashtag #DigitalFashion, looking for clues about how digital fashion was affecting how people dressed, behaved and expressed themselves.

In front of the screen, I was flooded with colorful virtual fashion pieces, digital clothes that were visually futuristic and artistic. They transcend the physical limits of reality and are almost impossible to exist in the real world.

For example, a virtual dress released by a well-known digital fashion designer caught my eye. The design of the dress is extremely complex, the fabric flows like a liquid, and the details are incredibly elaborate. This kind of precision and dynamic design is obviously only possible in virtual space.

As I delved into user comments, I noticed a phenomenon: Many people were not only blown away by the appearance of these virtual clothes, but also fascinated by the emotion and meaning they imbued. One user wears a simple, understated outfit in real life, but in the virtual world, she expresses her desire to break with tradition through a colorful digital cape. The cape is covered in shimmering particles and delicate textures, and the dynamic design allows her to express herself more explicitly in virtual displays on social media than he can in the real world.

Digital fashion plays an irreplaceable role here: it breaks the limits of materials, gravity, and even body form in the physical world. Designers are able to detail clothing down to the molecular level to create dynamic, interactive and visually striking pieces. This is not just an advance in fashion, it actually changes the nature of fashion. In the past, clothing had to rely on physical materials and the structure of the human body, but now designers are able to imagine and implement clothing that is completely free from the laws of physics – a virtual dress that can automatically change form as it moves, or even change color with mood or weather.

I’ve also noticed that social media users are displaying more diverse expressions of identity through these virtual costumes. Some people in real life are limited by fashion norms and social expectations, and are unable to show their true personality through clothing. However, digital fashion gives them the opportunity to break through these limitations in the virtual space. A white-collar worker who wears professional clothes every day wears glowing digital armor in the virtual world to express his inner strength and courage. This is not only liberating for self-expression, but also a new form of identity building on social media.

This observation confirmed to me that digital fashion is more than just a visual innovation, it provides people with unprecedented tools for expression. The design precision and freedom of virtual clothing make every detail carry unique meaning, so as to help people more accurately convey their understanding of themselves and the world. These displays break the limitations of traditional fashion and provide new forms of cultural expression.

[Last modified: October, 13 2024 06:32 PM]

Topic

Fashion Display and Identity on Social Media: How Technology and Virtual Clothing Are Changing Dressing Behavior and Cultural Identity

Background

Fashion is not only a tool for self-expression, it is also an important window into a society’s cultural, economic and power structures. With the rapid development of virtual technology, fashion is no longer limited to the material world. “Virtual clothing” and “Avatars” offer new ways for people to present themselves, build identities and participate in global cultural production. In this context, social media has become a key venue for virtual fashion display and build identity. These changes have brought about new cultural practices and forms of social interaction.

Research Question

1. 1. How does virtual clothing affect individuals’ self-expression and image construction on social media?
   2. How do virtual fashion displays on social media influence the fashion consumption behaviors of different cultural groups?
   3. How are users affected by social approval and interactive feedback when displaying virtual clothing on social media?
   4. What are the differences in the representation and audience acceptance of virtual fashion on different social media platforms?
   5. Are virtual fashion displays in social media driving the diversification of identities or sparking new cultural clashes?

Research Methods

Focus Group:

Choose between 8 users from different social media platforms (e.g. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat) and different cultural backgrounds. Ensure that participants have some experience in virtual fashion presentations.

Participants will discuss the factors they consider when choosing virtual clothing. They will discuss their reasons for using different social media platforms and the impact of platform features on their motivation and engagement. They will talk about how presenting virtual clothing affects their identity across various cultural contexts. Examining whether they experience cultural clashes or enhanced identity, and how these contexts shape their fashion choices. The group will analyze the effects of interactive feedback on their acceptance of virtual fashion and self-identification, as well as the role this feedback plays in shaping their personal image and future presentation behaviors.

Observation:

Deeply participate in social media virtual fashion communities (such as Instagram, TikTok), observe how users choose and display virtual clothes, and record the gender, personality and cultural identity characteristics of different users in the display.

Content analysis:

Analyze the content of popular tags and posts related to virtual clothing on social media, identify the performance and trends of different cultural groups in virtual fashion, and understand the impact of popular clothing on their offline clothing choices.

Case study:

Select several virtual fashion cases (such as popular virtual clothing brands and popular Avatar design) to analyze their spread on social media and the cultural discussions they have triggered, with special attention to the acceptance and response of these cases in different cultures.

Potential Findings

• • By choosing and displaying virtual clothing, users can effectively express their gender identity, cultural background and personality traits, thus enhancing their self-image on social media.
  • Virtual fashion displays on social media will drive the fashion consumption behavior of different cultural groups and promote the spread of global fashion trends in the local market.
  • The interactive feedback mechanism of social media can reinforce users’ identification with virtual clothing and may lead them to display virtual clothing more frequently on social media.
  • There are significant differences in the level of user engagement and acceptance of virtual fashion on different platforms, which may be related to the characteristics of the platforms and user groups.
  • The characteristics of different social media platforms (such as content formats, user groups, algorithms, etc.) will significantly affect the expression of virtual fashion and user acceptance.
  • Virtual fashion exhibition will promote the diversity of identity, but it may lead to the conflict and tension of cultural identity in a specific cultural environment.

[Last modified: October, 1 2024 05:15 PM]

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