Twilight Feminism & Teachable Moments

Jezebel's Latoya Peterson provides some much needed perspective on the Twilight saga in "Twihard With A Vengeance: Why Twilight Is A Boon For Young Women":

Only by understanding and critically engaging with the Twilight saga can parents and other adults start looking at what aspects of this series appeal to teens and where else they can channel their attention.

....What adults and pop culture critics should pay attention to is how Twilight breaks with many different conventions that have come to be accepted as normal. As Neesha writes on Racialicious, how often do girls get a chance to explore their budding sexuality in a safe (fantasy) space? I'm sure many of the young women who watch Twilight will have also seen the Transformers franchise, featuring Megan Fox as hyper-sexualized eye candy. How often do they see a movie geared at teens and young adults that allows for the main heroine to wear double layer shirts and oversized jackets?

...Indeed, the mania resulting from New Moon and other parts of Twilight saga allows more than just an easy feminist critique - it also allows the opportunity for adults to influence the great Twilight-after.

This is great advice for parents and educators given the cultural juggernaut that is Twilight -- Ew.com reports that New Moon exceeded $200 million in box office in just 8 days and Owen Gleiberman argues its "girl-driven success is good for the movies."  


I also highly recommend Nancy Gibbs' piece in Time, which explores pop culture from a religious pedagogical point of view. Gibbs considers Glee, Harry Potter, and Twilight and wonders why some Christians in particular celebrate Twilight but agonize about the others. Ultimately, the author asks readers to contemplate whether the breakout TV show is anti-Christian or just replete with teachable moments.


For more on the social implications of the Twilight saga, see:
The Politics of Wizards and Vampires by Alisa Valdes Rodriguez on Racialicious.com: http://bit.ly/4Cmaf2http://bit.ly/4Cmaf2

Why Pols and Pundits of All Stripes Love Mad Men

In one of the Mad Men forums on the  Television without Pity blog a poster recently reported:

I was today listening to Rush Limbaugh today (Yeah, I know. Hanging my head in shame).., and he had really great things to say about MM. He had a woman caller who said that women loved cowboys, men who weren't afraid to get down and dirty, and lived up to their reputations. Rush then entered in to a discussion about MM and how much he loved it. He said that Don was a real cowboy, and was a very interesting character because he lived his life with no apology, even though he is a true cad and womanizer. Rush waxed poetic about how authentic the settings and lifestyle of the characters were, and how it all really rang true for the 60's. I don't know that I have ever heard him speak so fondly of a TV show before.

This highlighted for me a great point about the show's appeal.  Politicians and pundits LOVE Mad Men. In the last few weeks, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and now RUSH have all said how much they admire the show .


In fact, in her Dec. interview with Vogue, Hillary said, “That's how it was!" "That's why the women's-liberation movement was so shocking. It was like news from outer space." http://bit.ly/34861t


It's a great quote, and one that demonstrates the polysemic and symbolic nature of both history and television. It's telling because Mad Men's representation of 1963 makes liberals like Clinton remember the urgency and necessity of social change, while simultaneously allowing a conservative like Rush to revel in nostalgia for masculinity without apology. Both admire the authenticity of it all, but to obviously different conclusions.


The contrast highlights the fact that this period is a wonderful Rorschach test and a lesson in symbolic history. It's a period remembered for its profound change and courageous and just social movements, or, as George Will characterizes it, one that was “Noisy with the voices of fundamentally frivolous people feigning seriousness”. Or, as Newt Gingrich calls it, a time when "the whole system began decaying."


Part of Mad Men's genius is that Matthew Weiner's vision accommodates all of these views. For now at least. The next season should be particularly challenging as that change accelerates.

A New ESIG Newsletter

The newly redesigned Fall 2009 Entertaining Ideas Newsletter is here.
Inside, you will find an article from our head, a summary of all our recent social media efforts, information about the new IJPC, a feature article about the lessons we 'learn' from fiction, and much more. 


If you like what you see, have any suggestions, or want to be featured in the next edition, just let us know. Contact us through twitter @entstudiesor email:entstudies@gmail.com .

NEW Ways to keep up with ESIG

Our social media and communications chair Cynthia Nichols has launched Facebook and Twitter pages for ESIG. Check them out for the most up to date news:
Twitter.com/EntStudies
Facebook: Entertainment Studies (ESIG)

AEJMC Conference News

August 2009 ESIG Head Anthony Ferri reports on a successful showing for ESIG at the national conference in Las Vegas.

AEJMC Midwinter conference

Upcoming Conference:
AEJMC Midwinter conference abstracts and panel proposals due Dec. 1. Conference held on March 5-7 at The University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. New facilities, great conference, very accessible for graduate students. Highly recommended by last year's attendees. 
For more info see: http://www.ou.edu/gaylord/home/main/outreach/aejmc_mid_winter.html