Instant Identity

«This accessibly written book gives readers direct insights into how instant messaging has become a vital part of American adolescent girls’ everyday lives. Shayla Thiel Stern’s method of inviting teenage girls to give her copies of their IM conversations breaks new ground for the study of digital media among teens. Her analysis of these conversations in light of feminist theory and cultural studies gives us a unique and sympathetic vantage point from which to consider [how] profanity, gossip, sexuality, friendship, parental relationships, and the negotiation of marketing messages continue to play important roles in the construction of teenage lives today.» (Lynn Schofield Clark, Assistant Professor, School of Communication, University of Denver; Author, ‘From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural’)