Explore the cultural meanings of science with us!
Have you always be interested in (animated) film, fiction, comics, street art or other forms of popular culture? Are you interested in bridging the Humanities, Science Communication and Sciences? Do you possess strong interpersonal skills, curiosity, strong writing skills, and are be able to work effectively as part of a small interdisciplinary team and also independently?
Take a look at the PhD projects we propose – or suggest another one!
Project 1
Spaced out: Space Scientists in Popular Culture
Since the emergence of the medium film at the beginning of the 20th century, scientists have been populating our cinematic space narratives, visual sci-fi stories and outer space films. Although they appear in some of the earliest and most influential cultural products (such as Georges Méliès’s 1902 short film A Trip to the Moon) and recent Hollywood blockbusters (such as Ridley Scott’s The Martian), the representation, facets and dynamics of space scientists in popular culture have barely been explored. There has also been a move towards accuracy in space science films, rather than purely fictional settings.
Alongside the serious, if not mad, human scientist who seeks to understand the universe and strives to add their quota to the sum of human knowledge, we also encounter extraterrestrial scientists in popular culture (see Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! or Neill Blomkamp’s District 9). And we do have comic scientists engaging in space exploration and curious science experiments (such as Rick of Rick and Morty). It is therefore time to revisit the cultural meanings and cultural diversity of space science in popular media, and to put the representation of space research and the portrayal of scientific space exploration in popular culture – beyond their depiction as dubious and threatening – in a more nuanced and contemporary light.
This project will explore the cultural meanings of space science and space scientists in different media since the late 19th century (when moving images emerged as a new medium), above all in film, animated film and comics. It will thoroughly review the literature published around the ‘scientist in space’ theme, including stereotypical depictions of space scientists, including looking at portrayals based on age, gender and race, as well as discover and closely analyse nonthreatening space scientist portrayals (through case studies, using a mixed method qualitative approach – close reading, content analysis, comparative analysis, etc.).
Supervisors: Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens and Dr Brad Tucker
Other projects…
Debugged: Parasitology in Popular Culture
Mouthparts that not only slice skin apart, but also slurp blood; body armour that in comparison makes a tank look like a soap bubble and body snatchers that take over the control of their hosts – the world of parasites is full of weird and wonderful adaptations. Hence, it is of no surprise that parasites continuously inspire the story telling in popular culture. The seemingly sudden appearance of parasites (due to complex life cycles), the devastating effect they have on their hosts and their unusual morphology (the result of efficient adaptation to their host’s lifestyle) make it easy to brand them as evil and dangerous entities that are sabotaging life. No wonder, the major narrative around parasites and parasitology in popular culture explores them, primarily, as metaphors for the threat and spread of parasitic diseases, or features parasites that infiltrate human bodies, thus transforming them into monsters, to ultimately destroy us (e.g. in the Prometheus and Alien sagas).
However, there is an emerging scientific, parasitological discourse exploring the many positive aspects of parasites. Some estimate that close to half (if not more) of all living species have adopted a parasitic lifestyle. Further studies shed new light on parasites by drawing attention to their importance in the stability of ecosystems, their contribution to biodiversity or their role as agents that ensure the proper maturation and functioning of the human immune system. A better understanding of parasites has significantly increased our appreciation of them and has extended the exploitation of parasites beyond the traditional use of leeches for their anti-coagulant effect: hookworms, for example, are now being investigated for their potential to treat autoimmune or inflammatory conditions like coeliac disease, and parasitoid wasps are used in sustainable agriculture to fight aphids. Parasites are now accepted as stabilisers of ecosystems and drivers of evolution and biodiversity. They have been shown to be instrumental in explaining why animals and plants have sex and why most organisms have defined lifespans. The study of host-parasite interactions can unravel important biological principles, and parasites themselves represent a treasure trove for biological compounds to fight diseases (e.g. blood clotting inhibitors from leeches). Parasites are not a ‘freakshow of nature’, but a stable and necessary fibre in the fabric of life.
It is therefore time to revisit the cultural meanings of parasites and the science that deals with them, and to put the representation of parasitology and the portrayal of parasites in popular culture – beyond their depiction as evil and threatening – in a more nuanced and contemporary light.
Supervisors: Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens and Professor Alexander Maier
Current PhD projects
“The Potential for Science Communication in Popular Culture Graphic Narrative”, Crystal-Leigh Clitheroe, ongoing (Primary Supervisor Dr Jürgens)
“Locating Newspaper Fiction: Search String Algorithmic Retrieval of Speculative Literature Subgenres”, Neil Hogan (Associate Supervisor Dr Jürgens)
“Co-evolution of Parasites in Science and Popular Culture: A Comparative Analysis Between East Asian and the Western Visual Fiction”, Shao-Jie Jhou (beginning soon, Primary Supervisor Dr Jürgens)
