CAMRI | The self(ie) in the Anthropocene

The self(ie) in the Anthropocene

A Book Chapter by Doug Specht and Cat Snyder, published by Routledge

In this new chapter published in Imagine Apocalyptic Politics in the Anthropocene, Doug Specht and Cat Snyder explore the role of the selfies at the end of time.

Selfies provide proof of an event witnessed through combining a presentation of self along with the event (Koliska and Roberts, 2015). They also demonstrate interest and support of a movement (Halupka, 2014), but moreover the selfie reaffirms the existence of the protester as they wrestle with their own minimisation in the face of global climate break down (Nunes, 2017). The taker of the selfie is reaffirmed through their existence both as an embodied presence before the lens, and as a digital image distributed across social networks (Nunes, 2017). This chapter seeks to explore the role of the selfie in creating new political and social spaces, and in reaffirming the existence of the individual in the Anthropocene. The chapter asks whether such activities are really the death of the public-sphere and potentially self-defeating, or whether they are important place-making actions that challenge subjugation.

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Photo by Beck VdlaRok on Unsplash

About Doug Specht

Dr Doug Specht is a cultural geographer and educationalist. His research explores themes related to environmental justice, human rights, and access to education, with a focus on the production and codification of knowledge though cartographic artefacts and in educational settings. In recognition of his work, he has been appointed as a Chartered Geographer and Chartered Teacher. In addition, he has been awarded Advanced Teacher Status, alongside being a Senior Fellow of AdvanceHE. Dr. Specht has authored numerous articles and books, including Mapping Crisis, the Routledge Handbook of Geospatial Technology and Society, the Media and Communications Student Study Guide and Imagining Apocalyptic Politics in the Anthropocene. He writes regularly on ethics, environmental and human rights, education, and mapping practices in such publications as WonkHE, The Conversation, Geographical, and for Times Higher Education. Dr Specht is a member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Geography, Westminster papers in Communication and Culture, and Anthropocenes – Human, Inhuman, Posthuman. He is Chair of the Environmental Network for Central America.