Guest Lecture Steve Rabitsch (University of Klagenfurt)
Stefan 'Steve' Rabitsch is currently a visiting postdoc researcher and lecturer in American Studies at the University of Klagenfurt. His research and his classes are dominated by American Cultural Studies together with a pronounced focus on Science Fiction Studies across media. He is particularly interested in the discourses and semiotics of historiography and world-building in television, film, and video games. His monograph on the secret British history of Star Trek is forthcoming with McFarland.
Fictional President Frank Underwood once said: "They say that we get the leaders we deserve." Now that the 2016 presidential elections are over, his soliloquy may strike us as eerily prescient. We all have certain images in mind when we think of the president of the United States (POTUS); one of the most pertinent, albeit grossly distorted, being that of 'the most powerful man on Earth' (and yes, for now it will remain a male-dominated office). In this talk, I will examine the rich popular culture tradition which has shaped the image and meaning of the POTUS. After all, popular culture artifacts ranging from memorabilia and stage plays to merchandise and mass media entertainment products are the main means for how Americans view and understand their Commander-in-Chief. Accordingly, my talk will explore different permutations of the mythos of the POTUS in different forms of popular culture and how these representation have not only shaped Americans’ idea about their leader, but also how these images have functioned as the main tools for exerting America’s 'soft power' over large segments of the global population.
The event is free and open to the public.
This lecture is organized by the Department of American Studies and sponsored by the Austro-American Society for Styria (ÖAG).
Information:
Department of American Studies Graz
Institut für Amerikanistik
Attemsgasse 25/II
A-8010 Graz
Tel. +43/316/380-2465
amerikanistik@uni-graz.at
http://amerikanistik.uni-graz.at