Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Metric Culture |
| Subtitle of host publication | Ontologies of Self-Tracking Practices |
| Editors | Btihaj Ajana |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited |
| Chapter | 4 |
| Pages | 57-76 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781787432901 |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Sep 2018 |
Fingerprint
Cite this
}
‘A Much Better Person’ : The Agential Capacities of Self-Tracking Practices. / LUPTON, Deborah; Smith, Gavin.
Metric Culture: Ontologies of Self-Tracking Practices. ed. / Btihaj Ajana. London : Emerald Publishing Limited , 2018. p. 57-76.Research output: A Conference proceeding or a Chapter in Book › Chapter
TY - CHAP
T1 - ‘A Much Better Person’
T2 - The Agential Capacities of Self-Tracking Practices
AU - LUPTON, Deborah
AU - Smith, Gavin
PY - 2018/9/24
Y1 - 2018/9/24
N2 - An increasing number of elements of people’s everyday lives have become quantified via their encounters and interactions with digital technologies. Many devices and software are now available for people to engage in detailed monitoring of their bodies and routines. In response to high levels of media attention to the phenomenon of ‘the quantified self’ (Lupton, 2013; Ruckenstein & Pantzar, 2017) and the expansion of the promotion of self-tracking in social domains such as medicine and public health, the workplace, the insurance industry and schools (Lupton, 2016a), a growing literature exploring the socio-cultural dimensions of self-tracking has emerged. Contributors to this scholarship (for example, Crawford, Lingel, & Karppi, 2015; Fox, 2017; Lupton, 2013; Lupton, 2016b, 2016c; Moore & Robinson, 2015; Ruckenstein & Pantzar, 2017) have identified some central themes and discourses which provide the meaning and context for these practices. They have demonstrated that the ideals of entrepreneurial selfhood, where states of empowerment are ascribed and derived from independently managing and optimising one’s health, wellbeing and physical fitness, emotional equilibrium, social relationships, financial affairs and work productivity, are central to concepts and practices of contemporary self. Indeed, they can be used as performances or (following Foucault) technologies of selfhood.
AB - An increasing number of elements of people’s everyday lives have become quantified via their encounters and interactions with digital technologies. Many devices and software are now available for people to engage in detailed monitoring of their bodies and routines. In response to high levels of media attention to the phenomenon of ‘the quantified self’ (Lupton, 2013; Ruckenstein & Pantzar, 2017) and the expansion of the promotion of self-tracking in social domains such as medicine and public health, the workplace, the insurance industry and schools (Lupton, 2016a), a growing literature exploring the socio-cultural dimensions of self-tracking has emerged. Contributors to this scholarship (for example, Crawford, Lingel, & Karppi, 2015; Fox, 2017; Lupton, 2013; Lupton, 2016b, 2016c; Moore & Robinson, 2015; Ruckenstein & Pantzar, 2017) have identified some central themes and discourses which provide the meaning and context for these practices. They have demonstrated that the ideals of entrepreneurial selfhood, where states of empowerment are ascribed and derived from independently managing and optimising one’s health, wellbeing and physical fitness, emotional equilibrium, social relationships, financial affairs and work productivity, are central to concepts and practices of contemporary self. Indeed, they can be used as performances or (following Foucault) technologies of selfhood.
KW - self-tracking
KW - sociology
KW - digital media
KW - subjectivity
KW - identity
KW - neoliberalism
UR - https://books.emeraldinsight.com/page/detail/Metric-Culture/?k=9781787432901
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9781787432901
SP - 57
EP - 76
BT - Metric Culture
A2 - Ajana, Btihaj
PB - Emerald Publishing Limited
CY - London
ER -