Author: Sumeja Tulic

Objective of the activity

The lesson integrates theoretical and ethnographic perspectives on visual culture, self-representation, and the socio-economic impact of smartphone photography in China. Learning Objectives: – Explain how smartphone photography and selfies are shaping social life in China. – Analyze the selfie as a visual genre (Saltz) and a socio-technical, aesthetic, and economic practice (Yang). – Compare Chinese and Western approaches to self-representation and digital image-sharing. – Apply ethnographic perspectives to everyday visual practices and platforms.

Pre-class activities

Pre-Class Readings: Yang, Ying. “Smartphone Photography and Its Socio-Economic Life in China: An Ethnographic Analysis.” Global Media and China 6(3), 2021. Saltz, Jerry. “Art at Arm’s Length: A History of the Selfie.” Vulture, January 26, 2014.

In-class activities

1. Introduction & Icebreaker (10 minutes) Prompt:
 “How many photos did you take with your phone last week? How many were selfies? Why do you take them (or not)?”

Activity:


Pair and share—students discuss briefly, then a few share with the class.

Transition:


Introduce today’s focus: Introduce today’s focus: the selfie as a global and local phenomenon, and the Chinese context of smartphone photography.

2. Lecture:

The Selfie as Visual Genre (Saltz) (10 min) Key Points from Saltz: Selfie = new, distinct visual genre; fast, casual, networked. Democratizes portraiture; emphasizes self-performance. Not just narcissism—selfies are “visual diaries,” forms of communication, and collective folk art. Structural features: arm’s length, distortion, immediacy, irony, performativity. Selfies as public/private, instant/ephemeral, and as cultural record.

3. Lecture:

Smartphone Photography in China (Yang) (15 min) Key Points from Yang: Ubiquity of smartphones—99% internet penetration via phone in China (2019). Photography is not only visual but deeply social and economic. Rise of “professional amateurs” and the digital-visual economy (influencers, online courses). Mianzi (face): smartphone photography as a tool for building social capital/status. Techno-aesthetics: Chinese apps (Meitu, BeautyCam) and the “beautification” culture. Gendered and generational aspects—group selfies, Kawaii/cute aesthetics, performativity. Platforms: WeChat Moments, Weibo, Tuchong, Meitu, etc.

4. Comparative Discussion (10 minutes) Prompt:
“How do the meanings and uses of selfies differ between China and the West, based on Saltz and Yang? What similarities do you see?”

In small groups, students list 2 similarities and 2 differences. Consider: platforms, beauty ideals, economic use, public/private, gender, social status, “face.” Share with class, noting cultural specificity and global patterns.

5. Ethnographic Methods in Visual Anthropology (10 minutes)

How do anthropologists study everyday photography? Participant observation, interviews, digital ethnography. Ethics: privacy, consent, interpretation of images. Prompt: “If you were to study smartphone photography in your community, what would you look for? What questions would you ask?”

6. Synthesis & Homework (10 minutes)

The selfie as a genre (Saltz): new forms of self-portraiture, performance, and communication. Smartphone photography in China (Yang): blending technicity, sociality, aesthetics; centrality of “mianzi”; emergence of new economic and social actors. Visual culture as a dynamic field shaped by technology, economy, and local values.

After Class Activities

Homework: Take 3 smartphone selfies or everyday photos. For each, write a short reflection: Why did you take it? Who is the audience? Or Research the concept of mianzi and digital reputation in your own or another culture.

Resources

9tXzp01Z9I6F-Selfies-Smartphones-and-Social-Life-.key, 2z8bm0sZuz4p-Jerry-Saltz_Art-at-Arms-Length.pdf, 

crz4DFQyv0DA-Yunchang-Yang_Smartphone-Photography-and-Its-Socio-Economic-Life-in-China.pdf