Entertainment and Media Studies Archive
Is Facebook making us dumber? Exploring social media use as a predictor of political knowledge
Abstract: With social networking site (SNS) use now ubiquitous in American culture, researchers have started paying attention to its effects in a variety of domains. This study explores the relationships […]
Global Postmodernity, World Music and the discourse of Authenticity: Insights from the Buena Vista Social Club
Abstract: This paper is a textual accounting of the world music phenomena (Buena Vista Social Club) across the realms of music, YouTube, social media and industry commentary. It develops a […]
Hollywood Freelance: Extras, Actors, and On-Screen Talent
Abstract: Actors are, and have always been, the biggest labor force in Hollywood. Although their faces might be familiar, how they have negotiated the extremely competitive and ever-changing business of […]
Below-the-Line Labor and Infrastructure in Hollywood
From the ragtag crews of 1910s productions to the organized backlots of Classical Hollywood to the runaway productions of the last fifty years, Hollywood has employed a wide array of […]
Building Brand Con: San Diego Comic-Con as Promotional Intermediary and Geek Brand Manager
Abstract: Longtime attendees of San Diego Comic-Con assert that the event has changed considerably in recent years. Many credit the shift to increased Hollywood involvement, as studios roll out ever-more […]
Kim Kardashian is my New BFF
Abstract: Recently, there has been a growing number of celebrity-focused video games. These games have functioned as promotional tools for celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Brittany […]
Transcultural Subjectivity
Abstract: Written for the theoretical section of this edited book, this chapter maps the conceptual terrain for the concept of “transcultural subjectivity.” It offers new insights into thinking about the […]
Performativity, Mysticism, Experience
Abstract: This paper is a textual analysis of the media culture (music videos, performances, advertising, visual/ viral culture) around the greatest exponent of the Sufi musical form called “Qawalli,” through […]
The Most Peaceful Place in the World
Abstract: This reflexive auto-ethnographic essay of eco-criticism tells the story of the authors visit to Cheung Eeok Killing fields in Cambodia focusing on themes of peace, place, and the politics […]
Encounters at the Margins of Hollywood
Abstract: After World War II, changes in film production finance encouraged US studios to take advantage of foreign financial incentives and locations. Bhowani Junction (1956) typifies many of these runaway […]