Pop Culture Research Articles

Pop Culture Media as Curricular Text: Designing an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Seminar Using Abbott Elementary

Abbott Elementary, the Emmy-award winning mockumentary-style comedy television show, chronicles the day-to-day efforts of a group of teachers in a Philadelphia public elementary school who, despite the odds stacked against them, are determined to help their students succeed. With humor and heart, the show also uncovers some of the larger policy issues at play in U.S. urban public education, such as teacher shortages, school funding, and school choice. This essay describes the development of an interdisciplinary Honors seminar for undergraduate students at a large, public university in the Midwest U.S. that used episodes of Abbott Elementary as a central curricular text to support students in analyzing current policy issues in urban education. Drawing on Giroux’s concept of media as public pedagogy, this essay details how the course design employed a critical intersectional multiculturalism cultural studies approach to create opportunities for students to engage in a multiperspectival analysis, including (1) an understanding of political culture, (2) textual analysis, and (3) audience reception. Implications and recommendations are made for selecting and integrating popular culture media as curricular text in interdisciplinary coursework.

Images of Russians in the Japanese pop culture (on the example of anime)

The article seeks to identify and analyse the ways of depicting Russians in the contemporary Japanese pop cultural texts. The following anime series were chosen as the object of the study: Black Lagoon; Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor; Hetalia Axis Powers; Bungou Stray Dogs; Yuri!!! on Ice; How Heavy are The Dumbbells You Lift?. The author of the article considers different stereotypes related to Russia and its inhabitants, and also covers such issues as age and gender, appearance and language, lifestyle and character traits of the Russian characters.

“PoV: You are reading an academic article.” The memetic performance of affiliation in TikTok’s platform vernacular

This article investigates the characteristics and communicative values of the popular PoV meme on TikTok to uncover mechanisms of community building on the platform. An analysis of the content, form, and stance of 250 videos revealed that creators of PoV memes lip-sync to audio remediated from pop culture and mimic how they imagine “you” would act in a given scenario. I offer the concept of “echoic affiliation” to describe how PoV memes leverage TikTok’s “use this sound” function to construct ephemeral bonds between users. Furthermore, PoV memes textually articulate multiple perspectives, producing intersubjective encounters that reflect a platform imaginary in which “the algorithm” efficiently clusters similar people on the same “side” of the app. In the conclusions, I present a novel definition of PoV memes and reflect on the pivotal role of affiliation for TikTok’s platform vernacular.

Genderqueer reflections on Weird Barbie

For better or worse, Barbie (2023) was part of a summer blockbuster phenonemon. Much of the fanfare around the film included conersations about feminism, ‘girlhood’ and whether or not the film was reductive in terms of upholding an iconic yet often criticised doll. This article attempts to wade through that noise by focusing on my own experience of the film as a genderqueer feminist academic. Blending personal reflection with queer theory and feminist critique, I unpack the use of the gender binary in Barbie Land and the implications, if any, for viewers and the overall ‘feminist’ positioning of the film (and whether or not that matters). In particular, I focus on Jack Halberstam's concept of gender failure and what that failure looks like in the idyllic world of Barbie. Following my own feminist epistemological commitments, this article makes use of academic as well as non-academic texts, in addition to blogs and other pop culture sources. Ultimately, this article considers the role of whiteness in the acceptance of the non-normative characters in Barbie – particulalry Weird Barbie – and why it is essential for white queers to remember that their experiences are not the queer experience.

Integrating Pop Culture into the Academic Library

Integrating Pop Culture into the Academic Library

Identity in Sound Waves: The Interweaving of Immigrant Traditional Music and Pop Culture

This paper aims to delve into the complexity of identity within cross-cultural music, focusing on the interaction and integration of traditional music from immigrant communities with the popular culture of the host country. In the context of immigration, traditional music serves not only as a vessel for the continuity of history and culture but also plays a crucial role in the formation of community identity. As popular culture rises, the expression of traditional music is influenced by various factors, gradually incorporating new elements. This integration reflects both a process of cultural adaptation and a profound examination of identity. Through the analysis of specific cases, this paper reveals the positive role of music in fostering cultural exchange and enhancing community cohesion, while also addressing potential identity crises and cultural conflicts that may arise. This dual influence underscores the significance of music as a tool for self-expression and cultural preservation. Ultimately, the paper summarizes the multiplicity and fluidity of music within immigrant communities, emphasizing that in the context of globalization, music functions not only as a reflection of identity but also as a means for individuals and groups to reshape themselves amidst cultural convergence. Through an interwoven analysis of tradition and popular culture, this paper provides a novel perspective for understanding immigrant identity and outlines directions for future research.

Digital creativity and ecolinguistics

Abstract This study explores the intersection of digital creativity and ecolinguistics through an analysis of ecological framings in the acclaimed video game Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (FF7R_inter). Given the rise of ecocentric games during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research examines how FF7R_inter incorporates environmental themes and the potential impact of these themes on players’ ecological awareness. Utilizing an ecolinguistic discourse analysis approach, the study investigates the linguistic and multimodal resources used in the game to frame environmental issues such as fossil fuel dependency and eco-terrorism from a multiversal inter-reality perspective. The findings reveal that FF7R_inter employs specific rhetorical strategies, including differences in ecological framings and semantic choices, to convey ecological messages, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on environmental sustainability in pop culture. This research highlights the significant role that digital games can play in shaping public perceptions of environmental issues and underscores the importance of integrating ecolinguistic perspectives into the analysis of digital media.

Studying Narratives in International Relations

Abstract Many scholars in international relations (IR) share an interest in narratives. With few, notable exceptions, IR scholars seem to lack clear methodological guidelines on how to conceptualize and study narratives in IR. We therefore develop a minimal definition of narratives and introduce a conceptual framework that shows how narrative analysis can be applied to questions and concepts within IR. We introduce narrative analysis as a multi-modal approach, which also draws on methodological insights from visual analysis, discourse analysis, and practice theory. The aim of the article is pedagogical, namely to translate insights from narratology to studies in IR and to show how everyday sources of the political, such as pop culture or social media, can be meaningfully analyzed. We argue that such an interpretive analysis implies adopting a critical and reflective stance to explore how narratives are shaped, how they appeal to specific political audiences, and whose interests are served by dominant political narratives. Such a perspective strongly resonates with current research debates in IR on practices, discourse, visuality, and emotions and puts a strong emphasis on power relations.

The Dissemination and Expression of Female Thought in Korean Pop Culture

The transmission and expression of women’s ideas in Korean popular culture is a global phenomenon that has attracted a wide audience, including teenagers. The different channels through which these ideas are disseminated, such as music, music videos, and social media platforms, aim to understand the influence of the Korean Wave in shaping gender equality and female empowerment. Using a mixed methodology, including content analysis and comments collections, the study revealed the significant impact of Korean pop culture on young people’s self-identity and values. Examples include the different influences and inspirations that different teenagers receive as a result of this culture and the reaction after watching the music video of a K-pop girls’ group. The study concludes that the representation of women’s ideas in Korean popular culture not only challenges traditional notions of gender but also promotes a more egalitarian perspective of thought, helping teenagers to set up the correct social feminine values, and contributing to the continuous development of women’s autonomy and identity.

Transformation Cultural Identity In The Global Era: A Study Of Globalization And Locality

Globalization brings significant changes to local cultural identities through the influence of media, technology, and migration. Global cultures often dominate local cultures, creating challenges for societies that previously had stable cultural identities. This transformation has an impact on the way people interpret their collective identity. Although many studies have addressed the impact of globalization on cultural identity, an in-depth understanding of this transformation process is still limited. This research aims to fill this gap by examining the interaction between global and local cultures and how they form new, more complex identities. Using a qualitative approach with case study methods in Yogyakarta, Bali, and Bandung, this study collects data through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis. The results show that the transformation of cultural identity is different in each region. In Yogyakarta, local culture remains dominant despite the influence of modern art; in Bali, globalization is seen in tourism that combines local and global cultures; while in Bandung, global pop culture is accepted by the millennial generation without leaving local identity. This research reveals that cultural adaptation creates a dynamic identity, where people choose relevant global elements, enriching cultural expression without losing local values

Naive Bayes Algorithm for Sentiment Analysis on Spider-Man Movie: No Way Home

The rapid development of streaming platforms has significantly changed the landscape of movie consumption. The ease of access and social interaction in online communities has led to the creation of a new pop culture around movies. One interesting phenomenon is the movie Spider-Man: No Way Home, which sparked heated and viral conversations on various social media platforms. This research aims to analyze audience sentiment towards the movie Spider-Man: No Way Home using Naïve Bayes algorithm. Review data collected from online platforms was processed to identify positive and negative sentiments. The choice of Naïve Bayes algorithm is based on its efficiency and ability to classify text. The results showed that the model built was able to classify sentiment with an accuracy of 72.34%. The model is more effective in identifying positive reviews than negative, indicating a positive response from the majority of viewers. However, the model still needs to improve its performance in classifying negative sentiments. This research makes an important contribution in understanding audience preferences and evaluating the success of a movie, especially in the context of the digital era. The results can be utilized by the film industry to improve production quality, marketing strategies, and content development that is more relevant to audience preferences. In addition, this research also opens up opportunities for further development, such as the use of more complex algorithms or combining with other sentiment analysis techniques, as well as application to various types of social media content.

Analyzing the Commercial Success of the Film Barbie

Abstract: The movie "Barbie" was released globally in 2023 and has garnered a large fan base worldwide, achieving significant artistic and commercial success. This article focuses on analyzing the reasons behind "Barbie's" commercial success, primarily covering the global influence of the Barbie IP, its alignment with current pop culture trends, the feminist core of the film, and aspects of its production, including the cast, music, set design, and scenery. Through this analysis, the article confirms Barbie's success in the global box office market. The success of "Barbie" has resonated with a wide range of social groups and has encouraged the spread of feminism. The social impact of "Barbie" is substantial enough to leave a mark on the milestone of film production for the movie and its production team. This commercially successful film with a feminist core is also set to spark a wave of thought in Hollywood and worldwide, encouraging and promoting the flourishing of feminism and feminist films.

Does the attractiveness of K‐culture shape the enjoyment of foreign language learners of Korean?

AbstractAttraction to the target culture can be a reason to study the language, especially in the case of languages other than English (LOTEs). Recently, the number of Korean language learners has surged alongside the growing popularity of Korean pop culture (K‐pop). However, it is unknown whether the initial attraction to the culture and the first steps in that direction shape foreign language (FL) emotions in the longer term. To fill this gap, this mixed‐methods study examined to what extent the attractiveness of the Korean Culture (K‐culture) predicts foreign language enjoyment (FLE) after controlling for other established learner variables (i.e., the length of FL study, FL proficiency, frequency of FL use outside of class, and attitudes toward the teacher and FL) through sequential regression analysis. The quantitative findings are complemented by the open‐ended responses to the sources of FLE using the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages 3Ps framework (products, practices, and perspectives) through NVivo. A total of 782 university students studying Korean as FL completed an online survey on the attractiveness of K‐culture and FLE. The results showed that the attitude toward the teacher and attractiveness of K‐culture are the strongest predictors of FLE.

The Influence Mechanism of Cultural Fit on the Image of Time-Honored Brands: Based on the Perspective of Brand Extension

ABSTRACT International competition and the continual emergence of new brands pose significant challenges to time-honored brands, prompting many of these established brands to adopt brand extension strategies as a means of reshaping and revitalizing their brand image. Based on the theory of brand legitimacy, this study constructs a research model of cultural fit – brand legitimacy – brand image and proposes pop culture involvement as a moderating variable. Two Chinese time-honored brands in the pharmaceutical industry, Tongrentang and Pientzehuang, were selected as the experiment scenarios. The study finds that: in the process of brand extension, cultural fit plays a positive role in influencing the brand image of the time-honored brands; brand legitimacy plays a mediation role between cultural fit and brand image; pop culture involvement plays a negative moderating role between cultural fit and brand legitimacy. Applications have also been mentioned in the study.

Sci-comm a long way: my journey from research to teaching (and beyond?)

How does one transition from a PhD in molecular biology to a dual career in teaching and science communication? Science communication involves translating complex scientific concepts into engaging, understandable content for a broad audience, using storytelling, multimedia, and audience-specific adaptations. The journey from academia to science communication, and eventually combining both with teaching, highlights the need for distinct approaches to engage diverse audiences effectively. These approaches include using audience-targeted relatable analogies, incorporating pop culture references or designing hands-on activities to make scientific concepts more accessible and interesting. While science communication shares some similarities with formal education, each requires unique strategies, and both are crucial for educating future generations. Training scientists and educators in communication skills and fostering collaborations between academia and the public are essential for creating an informed, engaged society. By enhancing science communication efforts, we can better prepare the public to address the next scientific challenges.

Testing the predictions of Chapman's five love languages theory: Does speaking a partner's primary love language predict relationship quality?

Chapman's claim that the key to marital happiness is "speaking" your partner's primary "love language" has been highly influential in pop culture and incorporated into therapeutic practice. However, the theory has not yet been empirically validated. The current study tests his theory, examining the hypothesis that satisfaction with one's partner's primary love language behavior predicts relationship satisfaction better than satisfaction with one's partner's nonprimary love language behavior. We recruited a sample (n = 696, M = 43.8 years, 70% married, 97.3% cohabitating) through Amazon CloudResearch. Chapman's hypothesis was not supported. Participants' satisfaction with their partners' primary love language behavior no better-predicted relationship satisfaction or perceived love than the lower-ranked love languages. Words of Affirmation and Quality Time better predicted perceived love and relationship satisfaction than participants' primary love language. These results replicate previous research and suggest that these should remain targets of intervention for relationship therapists.

Kitsch as a Mirror of Pop Culture in the Era of Hyper-Reality

The purpose of the study is to define the features of kitsch in the context of its application in contemporary pop culture. To investigate the relationship between kitsch and hyperreality using Baudrillard's philosophical theory of hyperreality. The research methodology includes general scientific principles of systematisation and generalisation of the problem under study, which made it possible to identify and scientifically substantiate existing theories, conceptual approaches to understanding the content of the concepts of “kitsch”, “hyperreality”, “grassroots” and “high” culture. The following methods were used: analytical, historical, and comparative. The historical method helped to find the origins of kitsch and establish the chronology of its development. The comparative method was used to identify and search for properties and characteristics based on the collected information. The use of the analytical research method helped to analyse the data and form hypotheses based on it. The scientific novelty is a comprehensive consideration of kitsch in the context of its application in the modern era of hyperreality. On this basis, the specific features of kitsch were synthesised, namely: hyperbole, idealisation, commercialisation, loss of authenticity, superficiality, vulgarity, template, imitation (parody), mass and emotional manipulation. Conclusions. Contemporary pop culture is heavily influenced by the processes of globalisation and digitalisation, which have radically affected and continue to influence the development of culture in general. The result of these processes is the emergence and rapid development of kitsch. Its characteristic features are hyperbole, idealisation, commercialisation, loss of authenticity, superficiality, vulgarity, template, imitation (parody), mass appeal, and emotional manipulation. These are the main features inherent in kitsch, and they allow us to unmistakably identify the presence of kitsch in a particular work of art. It is important to note that the specificity of contemporary pop culture is also dictated by the general context of its existence in the era of hyperreality. Most often, this is expressed in the hyperbolisation of the images conveyed. These and other features give kitsch a special status of an important part of pop culture, and also influence its formation by creating new standards. Accordingly, kitsch should be seen as a means of analysing contemporary cultural trends. After all, these trends are in a constant stage of formation and development, which require vigilance and frequent attention from contemporary scholars.

Citing Jorge Luis Borges

Abstract The works and ideas of Jorge Luis Borges have had a major impact on literature, movies, art, philosophy, and pop culture. His influence in these areas has been documented and studied. To date, however, there has been no significant effort to catalog or discuss the impact Borges has had on legal scholarship. The impact is significant. Hundreds of law journal articles, essays, and book reviews reference Borges and his work. For instance, authors have used Borges stories as a lens through which to analyze legal doctrines and developments. Others have quoted Borges to help convey particular ideas or principles. This paper aims to identify all references to Borges and his work in the legal scholarly literature, and to analyze the ways authors rely on Borges to determine the nature and extent of Borges's influence on legal scholarship. My aim is primarily to evaluate the scholarly treatment as a whole, rather than focus on individual cases. As such, I have attempted to compile a comprehensive list of Borges references in the legal scholarship to date. If I have omitted any scholarly works that should be included, please let me know and I will happily add them.

Des liaisons (toujours aussi?) dangereuses, 1782–2022. Examen critique des récents avatars d’un classique dans la pop culture

The release in 2022–23 of four creative works derived from Les Liaisons dangereuses, on screen and in graphic novel format and in French and English, demonstrates that the novel published in 1782 remains indisputably relevant. However, all these avatars differ considerably from the text on which they claim to be based, in particular by not using the unique epistolary narrative device designed by Laclos. Now seldom read in its original form, and probably poorly understood even by those who do venture to read it, Les Liaisons dangereuses nevertheless still exudes an aura powerful enough to encourage contemporaries to craft versions “adapted” to today’s audiences. Rather than belittling or condemning these derivations as facile and inferior to the original, we need to question the ways in which they “re-present” in pop culture a classic whose longevity they continue to ensure.

Medusa's Evolution: From Mythological Monster to Feminist Icon – A Reflection of Shifting Societal Narratives?

This research paper analyses and compares the myth of Medusa in ancient and modern times, through literature, art, media, pop culture and psychoanalysis to determine whether the modern reinterpretation of Medusa’s story is a genuine transformation or merely a repurpose of Medusa’s image without addressing the deeper issues of gender, power and sexuality. By recasting Medusa into modern feminist narratives, scholars and philosophers like Freud, Lacan, Cixous and Butler help challenge the patriarchal narratives and try to subvert traditional gender roles. Through these feminist theories, we are able to overlook the traditional portrayal of Medusa with a fresh eye. Though there are limitations to interpretations of Medusa’s image, they are less in comparison to literature that has appropriately used the myth of Medusa to raise questions about violence and discrimination against women in modern times. The paper challenges whether modern reinterpretation is seen as Medusa’s “glow up” or “glow down” by examining examples of literature, art and pop culture.