Self-narrative and urban identity construction in the urban-oriented media

Abstract

The article discusses the identification of the urban community in the so-called urbanoriented media (V. V. Abashev, I. M. Pechischev). The relevance of the study is justified by active urbanization processes indirectly influenced by the situation of late Russian urbanization (V. L. Glazychev) and the formation of “hipster urbanism” (V. S. Vakhshtain). As a representative method of forming a new urban identity, self-narratives which are typical of this kind of media and which have replaced the traditional interview are analysed. Based on the notion of speech being intentional (L. R. Duskayeva) and the concept of narrative as a basic metaphor (T. R. Sarbin), the stable types of self-narratives that have developed in the three main subject-thematic groups of autobiographical narrations (life story, specific experience, attitude to the place) are studied in the article. The metaphors of a startup, a response to a challenge and design are considered as the basic metaphors that demonstrate the values of the new urban identity, namely creativity, self-sufficiency, individuality, including the assertion of the right of being unusual, as well as the comfort of the urban environment and socio-psychological comfort based on conscious tolerance. At the same time, being a means to understanding particular life experiences, biographical narratives do not only introduce possible scenarios of life in a megalopolis, but also create an environment for joint identification communicative situation. By giving the vote to ordinary citizens, urban-oriented media achieve solidarity with their readers, which is very important for social identification processes.