The conference iRhetoric in Russian: Performing the Self through Mobile Technology focuses on the new networked ‘extensions of man’ (McLuhan 1964) and their consequences for the way we represent ourselves, and thus our selves, online. While this process is global, it is worth concentrating on the Russian-language internet (Runet), where, after the end of the normative Soviet identity, questions of identity/identities are especially relevant. By combining the traditions of rhetoric with the performative turn in the humanities we seek to understand better the highly topical field of discursively constructed virtual identities. Relying on participants’ diverse knowledge in various disciplines such as Internet Studies, Media Studies, Cultural Studies and Autobiography Studies, the conference gains insights into the digital performances of the self, the process of identity construction and their mutual dynamic interdependence.

Language of contribution: English

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