Abstract
The main purpose of this research is to examine how Emirati social media influencers construct their identities and disseminate reality through selected Instagram posts. In doing so, the study explores the strategies employed by influencers to navigate the complexities of modern and local identities while engaging their audience. A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis approach is utilized to provide an in-depth examination of both visual and textual elements within the posts. The study analyses a sample of 60 Instagram posts taken out of a sample of 100 from 10 influencers, selected through a multistage purposive sampling method. The findings reveal three dominant discourses: (1) the negotiation of local and Global identities, (2) self-promotion through travel experiences, and (3) the utilization of tourist places as agents for personal branding. The results demonstrate that these influencers strategically use Instagram to craft an appealing identity that showcases a balance between tradition and modernity while continuously engaging their followers. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on social media influencers, particularly in the UAE context, and offers valuable insights into the ways in which they construct and communicate their identities through multimodal discourse.
