Ros to talk on Sexting and Sexism

Professor Ros Gill will give the next CLJJ research seminar.

When: April 3rd, 2014, 4pm – 6pm (**note change of date)

Where: Room D427 in the Social Sciences Building, City University London.

Sexting and Sexism

This talk reports on a qualitative study of young people’s use of mobile internet technologies in two London secondary schools,  funded by the NSPCC. The paper argues that we need to open up definitions of sexting beyond the focus on the ‘sexy selfie’, and also to move beyond familiar fears of ‘stranger danger’. Based on focus groups, interviews and online ethnography, the paper locates sexting as a peer phenomenon tied in to a variety of offline practices and power relations. The paper highlights the significance of class, race and sexuality to a full and proper understanding of  the phenomenon known as ‘sexting’, but argues in particular that it cannot be understood without reference to normalised sexism and homophobia in school contexts.