my Research on Instagram

If you have reached this page, it is likely that you have seen me on Instagram. Here is some information about who I am and the work that I am currently doing:

This is me: My name is Amy A. Ross and I am a PhD candidate in the Media, Technology and Society program at Northwestern University. My dissertation examines the production and circulation of knowledge of orthorexia nervosa, a proposed psychiatric diagnosis, among expert and lay populations in different social worlds, with a special emphasis on media.

 My current research: I am currently (as of January 2018) conducting an online ethnography among Instagram users who identify with the orthorexia diagnosis and regularly use the hashtag in their posts or interactions. The project focuses on understanding the experiences of users who have adopted the diagnosis, including how they make sense of orthorexia and employ the concept in their online activity and interactions. I am also interested in understanding the social dynamics surrounding this proposed diagnosis.

My Instagram account: In order to develop the project, I am "following" and at times with interacting Instagram users who are engaged in conversations about orthorexia and identify with the diagnosis. I am focusing on those who regularly employ orthorexia hashtags (#orthorexia, #orthorexiarecovery, #orthorexianervosa). My username for this project is @AmyARossNU.

Some details about the research: I will not follow any private accounts without first introducing myself and asking the users for permission beforehand. Any information I use in my research will remain anonymous (text or images will not be associated with specific usernames in any publications as a result of this project) unless I explicitly ask for and get permission from users.

Contact me: If you would like me to unfollow you, have any questions about my research or want to get in touch with me for any other reasons, please feel free to DM me via my Instagram profile or email me at amyross2019@u.northwestern.edu