Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Communication and Media

Commodification of identity and virtual social networks, emphasizing the ideas of Theodor Adorno with the approach of data base theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Ph.D. student in Communication Sciences, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. (Corresponding Author)
3 M. A. in Public Administration, Higher Institute of Management and Planning Education and Research, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Today, one of the serious issues in identity studies is the issue of identity changes from the point of view of commodification, which leaves various consequences on the structure of the cultural system. In this research, the category of commodification of identity was investigated and analyzed with regard to the ever-increasing expansion of virtual social networks and emphasizing the thoughts of Theodor Adorno. The current research was a qualitative research in terms of practical purpose and in terms of research approach, which was conducted using the database method based on the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin (1998). The statistical population of the research was all specialists and experts in the field of culture and virtual space in Tehran, who, due to the nature of the database method and the dispersion and anonymity of the statistical population, to select the samples from targeted sampling using the snowball method and to determine the sample size from the theoretical saturation criterion It was used to reach theoretical saturation in the research data set with 14interviews. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview and coding was used to analyze the data from the interview. The research results showed; The pattern of commodification of identity in the light of the expansion of virtual social networks includes: causal conditions (media and social networks, information revolution, etc.), central category (commodification of identity), platforms (economic problems, unemployment, etc.), intervention factors (international sanctions, etc.), strategies (social purposefulness, etc.) and consequences (change in values and semantic system, etc.),
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