Overview

Homebodies: Performance and Intimacy in the Age of New Media sheds light on a fascinating yet often overlooked phenomenon: how ordinary people transform their private lives into captivating performances for the digital stage. Focusing on home dance videos shared on Instagram from 2010 to 2020, the book explores the delicate art of ""intimaesthetics""—the aestheticization of intimacy through the interplay of body, space, and media—and the paradox of the homebody. These seemingly spontaneous performances reveal how users craft images of closeness and authenticity, drawing audiences into a curated version of their domestic lives. Yet, Porter argues, these intimate portrayals exist within a larger system of platform control, algorithmic surveillance, and the commodification of personal expression. Porter utilizes hand-drawn illustrations in place of screenshots, which reflects their commitment to critiquing the exploitative dynamics of digital visibility while respecting the personal nature of the media studied. By examining the intersection of personal agency, algorithmic control, and the commodification of authenticity, Homebodies provides a nuanced understanding of how technology redefines intimacy, identity, and creativity in the twenty-first century.

Full Product Details

Author:   L. Archer Porter ,  Lindsey Archer Porter
Publisher:   The University of Michigan Press
Imprint:   The University of Michigan Press
ISBN:  

9780472057849

ISBN 10:   0472057847
Pages:   258
Publication Date:   03 February 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Preface Introduction Chapter One. Candid Dancing Introduction Part One. Defining Candid Dancing Genealogy of the Candid Choreography of Abandon Aesthetics and Semiotics of the Candid Dancing Body Part Two. Catching Candor, Imaging Abandon Catching Domestic Masculinity Laboring Domesticity Part Three. Circulating Candor Conclusion Chapter Two. Moving Selfie Introduction Part One. Defining the Moving Selfie Anatomy of the Selfie Genealogy of the Selfie Autochoreography: Aesthetics and Semiotics Part Two. Choreographing the Moving Selfie Mar’s Exposure Donté Bufferings Part Three. Circulating the Moving Selfie The Feed The Personal Profile The Hashtag and the Mention Conclusion Chapter Three. Nonchalant Gestures Introduction Part One. Defining Nonchalant Gestures Genealogy of Nonchalant Gestures The Aesthetics and Semiotics of Nonchalant Gestures The Choreography of Oblivion Part Two. Screening Nonchalant Gestures Whose Celebrity? Danko’s Celebrity Living with Liv Part Three. Circulating Nonchalant Gestures Forgetting to Remember The Marginalities of Marginality The Other Side of Rogue Conclusion Chapter Four. Modeling Kids Introduction Part One. Defining Modeling Kids Genealogy of Home Concerts Minor Choreography Aesthetics and Semiotics of Home Concerts Part Two. Choreographing Childhood, Logging Gender Declan’s Transgressions Gemma’s Reiterations Part Three. Circulations and Orchestrations of Minors Conclusion Conclusion Bibliography

Reviews

Author Information

L. Archer Porter is an artist-scholar of performance and new media, teaching in the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions