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International Journal of Multimedia Computing, 2025, 6(1); doi: 10.38007/IJMC.2025.060104.

Media Culture and Identity Construction in the Digital Age: A Multidimensional Analysis of Race, Gender, Class and Intercultural Communication

Author(s)

Xuanyi Wu, TS. Dr.Megat Al Imran Yasin, Karmilah Binti Abdullah, Xiaoyu Jiang, Yanmei Zhao, Wenling Li, Fan Zhao

Corresponding Author:
TS. Dr.Megat Al Imran Yasin
Affiliation(s)

Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia1, Selangor 43000, Malaysia

Abstract

This paper endeavors to explore the influence of media culture on the construction of individual identity in the digital era, with a particular focus on how identities in terms of race, gender, and class are represented, reshaped, and even deconstructed within the media context. It also delves into the issue from the perspective of cross-cultural communication, analyzing how the advancement of communication technology has facilitated the production and circulation of identity meanings. The research adopts a theoretical perspective of multi-dimensional cross-analysis and combines methods of content analysis and in-depth interviews to investigate typical cases. The study reveals that in the digital media age, identities of race, gender, and class assume a more complex and diverse guise. On the one hand, the stereotypical representation of minority ethnic images by mainstream media is further intensified in the online space. On the other hand, grassroots media and social networks offer new platforms for marginalized groups to express their voices. Gender identity in digital media is more often manifested as a fluid and non-fixed entity, while gender politics is also reconfigured under the influence of technological powers such as algorithmic recommendations. Although class discourse is implicitly present in media texts, it profoundly affects netizens' self-perception in a metaphorical manner. Additionally, in the context of cross-cultural communication, the media, as a domain for the operation of cultural power, plays a pivotal role in the process of identity negotiation. The contribution of this paper lies in introducing interdisciplinary perspectives from communication studies, sociology, and cultural studies into the research on media and identity, providing an integrated analytical framework and expanding new theoretical space for the study of identity politics in the digital era. Concurrently, the research findings have significant implications for reflecting on media ethics, promoting media literacy education, and constructing an inclusive online culture. Future research could further expand the analytical dimensions, incorporate more diverse cultural contexts, and conduct longitudinal studies on the construction mechanisms of MediaIdentity over a longer period. 

Keywords

Digital Age, media culture, Intercultural Communication,Identity Construction

Cite This Paper

Xuanyi Wu, TS. Dr.Megat Al Imran Yasin, Karmilah Binti Abdullah, Xiaoyu Jiang, Yanmei Zhao, Wenling Li, Fan Zhao. Media Culture and Identity Construction in the Digital Age: A Multidimensional Analysis of Race, Gender, Class and Intercultural Communication. International Journal of Multimedia Computing (2025), Vol. 6, Issue 1: 44-55. https://doi.org/10.38007/IJMC.2025.060104.

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