Identity

Maanya Kohli

Performing Belonging: How Gen Z Uses Instagram to Communicate Social Connection

A close-up headshot of a young woman with warm brown skin, dark hair pulled back, and a soft, friendly smile. She wears round, brown-rimmed glasses, gold hoop earrings, and a delicate gold chain necklace with a small heart pendant over a black halter top. Her lips are glossy with a reddish tint, and the background is softly blurred.

Hi, I’m Maanya, a Professional Communications student at TMU who’s fascinated by how social media shapes the way we connect, express ourselves, and make meaning out of everyday life. I’m into all things creative including music, film, pop culture and I spend a lot of time being (very intentionally) chronically online. I’m also a huge foodie, so if I’m not consuming media, I’m probably cooking, baking, or thinking about my next meal.

This project looks at how Gen Z uses Instagram to show and shape belonging. Instead of focusing on how people present themselves, it explores how connection, friendship, and shared experiences are communicated through posts. By analysing images, captions, and everyday content like photo dumps, the research shows how belonging is not just experienced, but actively constructed. It reveals how social media plays a powerful role in shaping what belonging looks like and how we understand connection in everyday life.

Lightning Talk

Browse More Identity Research

More Projects

Shiri Hermannoff

Selling Transformation: How Online Fitness Coaches Communicate Value

Grace McNabney

From Screen to Scroll: Can We Measure how TikTok Contributed Heated Rivalry's Overall Success and Broader Cultural Reach?

Sophia Chrysochou

The New Status Symbol? Your Workout Class. Inside the Experience Economy of Fitness.
Scroll to Top