Gender and age/s in the context of popular culture, especially music

Cooperation partner in Graz: Ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Roberta Maierhofer, Center for Inter-American Studies, Institute for American Studies
Junior Fellow: Mag. Nicole Haring, BA. MA.

Incoming Senior Fellows: Prof. Murray Forman, Ph.D., College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University, Boston, USA and Prof. Cheryl Lester, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
Incoming Junior Fellows: tba

Period: June 2020 to July 2021
Symposia: June 30, 2020 and June 2021

Content:

The thematic focus of this fellowship project is the question of gender and age(s) in the context of popular culture, especially in regard to music.

Since the reality of our lives is shaped in different ways by globalization and digitalization processes, whereby social spaces are culturally diverse and digitally networked, the question arises as to whether digital technologies enable or hinder (inter)cultural exchange and global communication with regard to the perception of age(s) and gender. Particular attention will be paid to cultural and media consumption, such as music and film, as well as cultural representations in contemporary European literary works. In this context, gender-specific experiences of men and women and their attitudes towards ageing in relation to media and music consumption will be compared and a deeper understanding of contemporary and changing representations of age and ageing will be gained in order to integrate age(ing) into the image of man. In addition, the question of how digital transformation processes influence women and men in different phases of life and age will be investigated.

The project is closely related to the project "Gendering Age: Representations of Masculinities and Ageing in Contemporary European Literatures and Cinemas", so that the intersectionality (gender/age/race/class ...) of identities in Europe as well as North, Central and South America can be further researched beyond its 3-year duration.