Chapters explore how South African users leverage these platforms to reclaim agency, subvert dominant narratives, and build socio-economic value, while also navigating the competing pressures of self-representation and commercialisation. From the challenge of beauty standards on Instagram to townships businesses harnessing social media to reconfigure local economies, the studies highlight the creative and transformative ways digital media is being used for self-definition and resistance. They critically examine the limitations imposed by factors like power and historical injustice, which continue to shape access, visibility, and participation in these spaces.
Grounding the exploration in the South African context, authors amplify local voices and perspectives, offering new insights into how digital media is negotiated, adapted, and repurposed within specific cultural and socio-political environments. It invites scholars, students, and practitioners to rethink participation—not as a universal experience, but as a negotiation shaped by context, culture, and community.
Chapters explore how South African users leverage these platforms to reclaim agency, subvert dominant narratives, and build socio-economic value, while also navigating the competing pressures of self-representation and commercialisation. From the challenge of beauty standards on Instagram to townships businesses harnessing social media to reconfigure local economies, the studies highlight the creative and transformative ways digital media is being used for self-definition and resistance. They critically examine the limitations imposed by factors like power and historical injustice, which continue to shape access, visibility, and participation in these spaces.
Grounding the exploration in the South African context, authors amplify local voices and perspectives, offering new insights into how digital media is negotiated, adapted, and repurposed within specific cultural and socio-political environments. It invites scholars, students, and practitioners to rethink participation—not as a universal experience, but as a negotiation shaped by context, culture, and community.

From Mainstream to Digital: South African Perspectives on Participatory Media Cultures
240
From Mainstream to Digital: South African Perspectives on Participatory Media Cultures
240Hardcover
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781836621478 |
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Publisher: | Emerald Publishing Limited |
Publication date: | 11/24/2025 |
Series: | Diverse Perspectives on Creating a Fairer Society |
Pages: | 240 |
Product dimensions: | 5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x (d) |