Jurnal Komunikasi Indonesia
Vol. 12, No. 2

In Quest of Mother’s Worth: How Millennial Instamoms’ Sharenting Revisits Women’s Traditional Roles

Siahaan, Rony Agustino (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Aug 2023

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the performance of the so-called digital mothers "Instamom" in Indonesia in the cultural contradiction between the construction of women's subjectivity that commodifies motherhood and intersubjectivity as to fulfilling women’s traditional role. Using performativity theory, I argue that the phenomenon of Instamoms’ sharenting is a communicative practice in the digital space that demonstrates the performance of a fluid and dynamic maternal identity without rigid boundaries. This research applies a digital ethnography approach to the everyday life’s practices of Stay-At-Home-Mothers that focus on the complexities of women's experiences in engaging with social media throughout the transition to motherhood. For this reason, this study conducted in-depth interviews and collected digital data from Instagram accounts. The findings show becoming a SAHM is their resolution to negotiate the image of an "ideal mother" through the subjective performance of a "good mother" that emphasizes neoliberalist maternal femininity. Gradually, this practice creates a digital mother performance that fulfills the demands of self-governmentality to replace women’s past professional career through digital entrepreneurship and commodification maternal identity. In conclusion, by performing digital mother, women play a variety of roles as they look for new opportunities whilst their traditional role serves as the main framework.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

publication:jkmi

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Computer Science & IT Environmental Science Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences

Description

The aim of the Jurnal Komunikasi Indonesia is to promote and enhance advanced academic discussions, including research development and debates in the field of media and communication. It also serves as a interdisciplinary forum for researchers and industry players who use research as the frame for ...