Digital Self-Representation of Minority Wom*n: An Intersectional Analysis of Sámi Content Creators

Intersectionality is useful as both a theoretical framework and tool for practical analysis. This is particularly the case in the experiences of minority women holding multiple minoritised identities and interacting with power structures that have historically and contextually marginalised them. This paper considers self-representation of Sámi wom*n through colonial legacies of forced assimilation and lasting colonial gender dynamics; their engagement with environmental activism through decolonial representations; and the development of inter-Sami and inter-indigenous solidarity. Through an in-depth discourse analysis on three Sámi wom*n content creators on Instagram, the analysis shows how they utilize the digital realm towards self-representation and cultural survival, while challenging dominant and mainstream narratives about their culture. This paper aims to show how intersectionality can provide a critical framework to connect digital self-representation and minority identity. Ultimately, this paper aims to capture the digital processes of identity production in intersectional terms, namely in relation to minority and indigenous identity(ies), representation, discourse and power.