Martin Hand, Sociology:

Since the 2010s there has been an extraordinary rise in the volume of personal photographic images being taken and posted online. The convergence of smartphones, social media platforms, and personal photography has enabled a situation in which images of ourselves occupy a pivotal role in everyday communication. Photography has arguably become more intimate – for most Canadians, the smartphone is a permanent attachment and social media platforms are increasingly integrated into their everyday lives – making images a component of almost everything they do. This raises many questions for the sociologist, from how contemporary societies will remember the past to how individuals must constantly curate their visual selves. This talk will document the rise and current prevalence of these visual communications technologies in everyday life, and discuss some of the most significant social implications for how we understand memory, time, and ourselves in contemporary society.