Emerald Studies in Popular Culture and Gender – Serie

The successful return of horror to our television screens in the post-millennial years, and across a multi-media range of platforms, demonstrates that this previously moribund genre is once again vibrant, challenging and long-lasting. The traditional TV audience of the past would have watched very few horror TV shows, because not many were made. But that has changed. Programme makers have tapped into their public's insatiable need - in these days of terrorism, violence and mayhem - to provide programmes that have high production values, engaging storylines, and plenty of frights and gore.  Horror TV offers a safety-valve for its audience, one that enables them to enter into it from the safety of their armchairs. The era of instant access, streaming, downloading and binge-watching whole seasons over a weekend, where fandom has blossomed into a cultural force, clearly shows horror as a vital part of today's TV scheduling.This edited collection investigates the rising popularity of horror-television through deconstructing the gender roles within them via series of case studies including such programmes as Hannibal, American Horror Story, The Walking Dead, Penny Dreadful, Supernatural, The Exorcist and Bates Motel. By using a series of case studies and employing theoretical modes of close analysis, each chapter demonstrates how and why these TV shows are important in reflecting the changing gender roles within modern society.

Contemporary popular media has been marked by its startling ability to morph into a wide variety of formats, fed by the ongoing revolution in digital technology. Despite these significant changes, the horror genre has retained its attraction for audiences, and the representation of gender has been crucial to that appeal.Gender and Contemporary Horror in Comic, Games and Transmedia examines the impact of media convergence on the horror genre, focusing on comic books and graphic novels, video games, audio broadcasts, and transmedia adaptations, as well as considering the increasingly proactive role of audiences in making media themselves. A wide range of scholars consider the effect of this new hybridity on established debates regarding the role of gender in the horror genre, offering vital new interpretations of identity and representation. This book is an illuminating, exciting read for academics and students interested in the effect of changing media, and an evolving cultural landscape, on the established debates surrounding gender in the horror genre. The responses of the authors reflect both the possible limitations and the groundbreaking possibilities of this new era in horror.

The horror genre will always remain current because it reflects our anxieties, shining a light onto our worst fears whilst creating worlds defined by darkness. Horror as a genre has always engaged with era-specific societal mores and moral panics, often about isolation or abandonment, changing family values and the role of women. It is often specifically about how gender is constructed in everyday life. Women are commonly defined in horror by their passivity, or monstrosity/sexuality or victimhood - or a mix of the three. At the same time women in horror are forced into psychological and physical torture ending in violent showdowns in which they emerge damaged but triumphant. Bringing together research from a wide range of established and emerging scholars this edited collection provides an insight into how modern horror films portray femininities, sexualities, masculinities, ageing, and other current issues, exploring the use of vampires, zombies, werewolves and ghosts in films made internationally. This volume, one of three by the same editorial team examining the horror genre, focuses on gender and contemporary horror in film, asking questions about how and if representations of gender in horror have changed. In these readings and re-readings, the authors examine developments in films about vampires, zombies, werewolves and ghosts, in films made internationally.

Sylvester Stallone’s action thriller, First Blood, hit cinema screens in 1982, leading to the cementing of what can be called the Action Movie Canon. With films like Die Hard, Under Siege and Total Recall pioneering post-millennial Action Movies such as Tomb Raider, The Bourne Identity and Atomic Blonde, there is a clear trajectorial line showing that the Action Movie has radically altered to incorporate much more complex portrayals of both ‘hero’ and ‘heroine’: the Action Movie Hero.Examining the changing face of Action Movies and their representations of gender since the release of First Blood, Gender and Action Films 1980-2000 examines masculinity and anxiety through subjects ranging from gender spaces in action films to the buddy cop film. From transformative femininity, motherhood and machoism, action women in contemporary Colombian cinema, reconsidering gender in Jurassic Park, to gender, politics and 80s action – the chapters dive into everything from sword-playing and gun-shooting women and rainbow-coloured riots on Hollywood boulevard.Gender and Action Films 1980-2000 offers a comprehensive insight into the intertwined concepts of gender and action, and how their portrayal developed in the Action Movie genre during the final two decades of the twentieth century. A necessity for academics, students and lovers of film and media and those interested in gender studies.

The noughties witnessed rapid change in Action Cinema, carrying with it the new action stars of the previous decade, and the boundary blurring experimentation of films such as The Matrix, that incorporated not only action but science fiction. The now dominant Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debuted, and the Young Adult fictional worlds of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games further developed the scope of the action sequences. Despite this context, the action genre had still not engaged fully with contemporary social issues.Focusing on a less acknowledged period in Action Cinema history, Gender and Action Films: Road Warriors, Bombshells and Atomic Blondes examines specific action stars such as Michelle Rodriguez, Zhang Ziyi, and Pam Grier to analyse how female stars encounter the male gaze. Split into four parts – ‘Star Bodies’, ‘Transmedia Action’, ‘Intergenerational Action’ and ‘Politics and Race’, chapter authors prioritise female led action movies and champion a more meaningful interaction and representation between the action genre and contemporary issues of race, sexuality, and gender.Offering novel interpretations of depictions of gender within action movies, this edited collection demonstrates gender portrayal can be developed to incorporate meaningful representation in the wake of the movements such as #Oscarssowhite or #MeToo that have confronted Hollywood. The collection is a must-have for academics, students and lovers of film and media and those interested in gender studies.

Lying at the heart of the modern Action Cinema Canon is the concept of transformation. As the action genre evolves and shifts into the new millennia, innovative additions blend with nostalgic returns – the move away from a male-dominated space to feature even more prominent female roles co-exists alongside a revival of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, and series such as Rocky and Rambo return to the screens. Gender and Action Films 2000 and Beyond: Transformations captures and explores the nuanced and complex nature of change within Action Cinema.Dealing with the notion of aging, the chapter authors consider how action heroes confront and cope with getting older. Expanding the foundation of research on geriaction stars, the advantages of mature masculinity contrasts with themes of masculine fragility. Viewing the action genre through a feminist lens, this edited collection traces the evolution of the representation of women, suggesting how such roles may develop in the future. Finally, a consideration of the post-millennial boom of movie backdrops in turmoil analyses how such pieces question and contribute to debates on global political and social issues.Gender and Action Films 2000 and Beyond: Transformations looks at Action Cinema from the old to the new, offering an exciting interrogation of the portrayal of gender in the new millennia. A necessity for academics, students and lovers of film and media and those interested in gender studies.

For every hero, there is a villain, and for every villain there is a story. But how much do we really know about the villain? Filling a gap in the field of gender representation and character evolution, the chapters in this edited collection focus on female villains in the fairy tale narratives of 21st Century media.Within the realm of fairy tale study, the characters of princess, prince, hero, and damsel in distress have been researched extensively, however the female villain has rarely been the central focus of academic study. Gender and Female Villains in 21st Century Fairy Tale Narratives: From Evil Queens to Wicked Witches features chapters from different academic disciplines such as television and film studies, fan studies, character analysis, gender studies, feminist studies and audience analysis. Through the primary lens of gender studies, the collection delves into issues such as vanity, body dysmorphia, femslash fandom, the lesbian gaze, the queering of the villain-hero dichotomy, and morality and femininity.Concluding by looking into physical disability, maternal subversion, and social exclusion, as well as the construct of beauty 'ideals' as applied to female villains, this collection breaks fresh ground by putting the female villain at the centre of academic study.

Since the 1990s, the West has seen a significant increase in women entering the tattoo industry as professional artists. Examining this kind of work through a sociological and feminist lens, Tattooing and the Gender Turn explores the experiences of women tattoo artists in what has historically been a male-dominated industry to reveal how tattooing has undergone a ‘gender turn’ and a subsequent shift in gender relations.Drawing on interviews with women and queer tattoo artists from across the US, UK and Australia, Emma Beckett conceptualises the tattoo industry as a source of employment and labour in addition to exploring how it operates as a sub-culture. Highlighting how women artists negotiate gendered capital and gendered labour amidst industry hierarchies and demands on authenticity, Beckett uses a gendered lens to explore and problematise the industry as an often unequal place of work and employment. Chapters also explore how women artists are using online platforms to disrupt and challenge the problematic aspects of the tattoo industry, disrupting harmful behaviours and initiating change.Putting women artists and their experiences at the centre of its gaze, Tattooing and the Gender Turn appeals to those interested in subcultures, employment and labour, as well as other male-dominated industries where women have to navigate and negotiate the terms of their femininity in order to succeed in their chosen career.

Interest in true crime as a form of popular entertainment has sky-rocketed in recent years. Drawing on this current popularity and its significance in the context of digital culture, Gender, True Crime and Criminology challenges traditional definitions of the genre, expanding representations of victimhood and how we understand true crime audiences in gendered terms.Tackling male consumption of true crime and exploring texts which might appeal to men as consumers, Louise Wattis reveals a new opportunity to analyse representations of masculinity, class and violence, as well as how male audiences engage with cultural portrayals of these violent subjects. Embracing the breadth of the true crime genre, including features such as online engagement, sexual violence and the figure of the murdered woman, chapters critically analyse themes of gender, masculinity, race and class, as well as their representations in victim/survivor-centred documentaries. Situating wider debates within the renewed mainstream focus on violence against women, chapters also raise timely questions around ethics and the nature of victim visibility.Recognising the value of popular criminology as an academic resource, this is a much-needed text for advancing contemporaneous debates around the importance and diversity of true crime.

From the shady and complicated Rumpelstiltskin to the born-again hero of Captain Hook in Once Upon a Time, as well as films which magnify the male character such as The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Tangled, Frozen, and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, the male fairy tale character has received increased attention in fictional narratives over the past decade. For the first time, Gender and the Male Character in 21st Century Fairy Tale Narratives extends this attention into the realm of academic study.Featuring differing perspectives and disciplines, including gender, queer, fan, and television and film studies, chapters take an interdisciplinary approach to analyse male characters through lenses such as race, disability, class, religion, and sexuality. Contributors unveil alternative conceptualisations of ‘traditional’ male fairy tale characters, weaving a rich story of the interaction between popular culture, gender representation, power, and society.Putting Prince Charming in the academic spotlight, this collection examines the evolution of male fairy tale characters across modern series and films to bridge a gap that afflicts multiple disciplines.

The world of James Bond is complex and ever growing. The British secret agent started off life as a semi-fictional, part-biographical character in Ian Fleming's 1953 novel, Casino Royale. Since then, 007 has captured the minds and hearts of a worldwide audience, and the franchise is now available over multiple media platforms, including movie, comic strips, games, graphic novels and fashion statements. This edited collection examines the role that gender has played across the platforms that the James Bond franchise now occupies. Each chapter investigates gender-approaches through a variety of case studies, including Bond, his boss M, and Miss Moneypenny, the songs and title sequences, the villains, computer games, 'Lad's Mags', and the fashions of the era. Looking beyond the Bond Girl, expert editor Steven Gerrard brings together a cast of contributors that investigate not only femininity, but also masculinity when it comes to the world's best-known agent - a man with a license to kill. In a rapidly changing world where gender boundaries are being eroded, this edited collection investigates the changing and challenging roles that gender has undergone in the franchise. By using a series of case studies, and employing theoretical modes linked to close analysis, each chapter clearly demonstrates how and why the world of James Bond is important in reflecting the changing gender roles within modern society.

As binge-watching and streaming lead to increasing amounts of content and screen time, understanding how domestic violence and abuse is portrayed in popular culture and its impact on DVA in our society is more important than ever. Amid current international attention on sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation initiated by the #MeToo movement, this collection demonstrates how networked communication is influencing activism, both online and in the real-world. The term gendered DVA recognises the wider gender inequality underpinning DVA, and intersecting inequalities such as race, social class, sexuality, age and disability. International contributors from Europe, the USA and Australia examine how DVA is represented in different media forms comprising film, television, newspapers, digital and social media, and TED lectures. The collection examines intimate partner abuse, child abuse, grooming and sexual exploitation, elder abuse and neglect, and abuse in LGBT relationships. Authors also analyse policy changes in relation to DVA, both progressive and regressive, together with topics such as moral panic in the media and trial by media. An in-depth and wide-ranging resource, this collection will be a valuable text for health and social care professionals, researchers, academics, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and people with lived experience of DVA.

Although tattoos have become increasingly available to us, there are still spaces where they are not accepted, and even 'othered'. Looking at the UK, where media discourses are often unfavourable towards tattooed women discussing their own bodies, this book explores how we understand tattooed women’s bodies in the UK – through the lens of gender and class. Unpacking themes which focus on how femininity is embodied, and how unwritten rules are broken or followed, Charlotte Dann demonstrates how meaning is key to our understanding of female body art.  Drawing our attention to how traditional constructions of femininity are conformed to and resisted against, Dann positions media discourses of trends, regret, and transformation alongside tattooed women’s own thoughts of their tattoos. The chapters uncover how tattoos relate to the embodiment, or resistance, of femininity where the body plays a complex role – in care, in the community, and in families. Delving into the societal norms about what women should and shouldn’t do with their bodies, and looking specifically at motherhood, employment, and consumption, Dann demonstrates how meaning-making is critical to how women’s tattooed bodies are understood, and how personal narratives take centre stage in the justification for tattoos. Providing a fuller understanding of the nuances particular to tattooed women, this book equips readers to reconstruct how we theorize femininity and the body.