Statements of the body and of itself: an analysis of content offered by university students mediated at Instagram

Abstract

The body as an object of study in different scientific fields has become an important means of understanding oneself and others, especially when it is the discursive content of groups and social contexts, giving rise to new forms of subjects and subjectivities, as is the case in everyday life. lived and constructed on social networks. The objective of this study was to analyze the enunciative content of the profiles of seven university students from the Degree in Physical Education course at UFPI, hyperexposed on Instagram. Methodologically, it is a qualitative and analytical study. For thirty days, views, likes and number of followers were recorded, as well as the characterization of images/scenes, comments and body presentation in the posts/feed of these profiles. To analyze this data, Utterance Content Analysis was used. Categories of analysis were discussed, of which we highlight: the construction of identities around the search for a supposed body ideal, based on discourses regarding the active and healthy lifestyle that has in the language of fitness and the constitution of a body “ perfect”, a model to be followed, adored and desired; the consumption of the contemporary body through dance and music, based on sensualized body presentation; and the non-existence of just one body ideal on the social network Instagram, since the body adapts to each social, discursive, personal and professional context, as well as constructing and being constructed for/by each audience that is seen/consumed, relate and interact.