Fandom and Media-related Academic Papers Masterpost
Eyo. I mentioned awhile back that I wrote a bunch of stuff for my English MA that I never ended up publishing but I’d like it to be available anyway. I did the work, the research, imbued a lot of passion into these papers--so I want people besides me and my profs to have the chance to read them. Though they’re a few years old now, I feel a lot of it still holds up. :)
(Please don’t repost or use without permission, though I’m aware I can’t really regulate that.)
Hope y’all enjoy~
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The Phenomenon of Coded Communiqués in Folklore: Abu-Lughod’s Veiled Sentiments and Tumblr Fandom: This is about fandom and tumblr specifically as a new form of folklore as compared to Bedouin oral poetry aka a “tried and true” form of folklore. Written December 2017, before the Tumblr purge, so the landscape I was writing about has changed, though I do think most of the points stand.
Rich and Rehabilitating Representations of the Queer and Disabled in Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal (2013-15): This is basically what it says on the tin. Queer and disabled rep in the Hannibal tv show, how those identities intersect, and what representation means/why it’s so important. Ohhh lads, if only I’d known about/seen Black Sails while I was in this class -clenches fists- Anyway. This was one of my favorite papers to write. Written May 2018.
“I’ll see you again in 25 years:” The Surreal horror, Legacy and Cultural Implications of Twin Peaks (1990-2, 2017): This is a cultural studies paper about the original Twin Peaks and then its Return, horror, specifically surreal horror, why we need it, why we like it, why it’s important. My prof wanted us to write what’s called an “object analysis,” which is a little bit of different animal from lit analysis papers. Written May 2018.
The Wendigo, The Folkloresque, and Hannibal (2013): Yep, Jay writing more Hannibal papers. I wrote as many as I could get away with, lol. This one deals with the Wendigo, how its folklore developed and how it then is reinterpreted into pop culture, ending up in the tv show in various forms. Written December 2018.
Korrasami, Bechloe, and the Dearth of Femslash in Fandom: Okay this is kind of my pride and joy in a lot of ways. Also, a bunch of you fine folks helped by participating in a Google doc survey regarding femslash :D This paper asks why there’s so little wlw fan content comparatively and frankly this is still a big issue 3ish years later. Written December 2018.
Bonus:
Here’s the one undergrad paper I want to include which I wrote for my capstone class.
Adaptation Fidelity and Intertexuality : Pride and Prejudice (1995) and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: This was when little baby Jay realized she could write about pop culture! This one is not up to par with the grad work because of course it wouldn’t be. But I’m still pretty happy with what my fledgling cultural and media studies self made of this. This paper is all about what makes a “good” adaptation by comparing different versions of Pride and Prejudice as well as talking a lot about high art vs pop art and intertextuality. Written May 2013.
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Blanket disclaimer that I’m just another scholar be-bopping around, I don’t know everything and I have my own privileges and blindspots. I’ve also learned a shit-ton in the intervening 3ish years (8ish years for the Austen paper), so these won’t necessarily reflect that new/current knowledge. So yeah, like, just please don’t be an asshole.
Engage with it critically if you like, I would frankly love if someone wanted to discuss any of this with me, but argue in good faith.