Author Archives: Mary Beatty

Keyword #6: Technology

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Culturally, technology is a keyword that is often misconstrued and misrepresented. Keyword author Jennifer Daryl Slack asserts that technology is seen largely as a “measure of progress” and the “promise of a good life”, when in reality this result is dependent upon its “intentions… and relations of power at stake”. Because it is in our nature to be attracted to… Read more »

Keyword #5: Race

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Race is a construct that was created with the intention to subjugate and oppress cultural groups based on perceived physical differences. The Poetry Society notes that the word ‘race’ appears in popular French physician François Bernier’s 1684 essay ‘A New Division of the Earth’. This is the first time the word is used to categorize all humans into races using… Read more »

Keyword #4: Queer

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The word “queer” is by definition a representation of anti-normative content. Queer media serves to provide an advocacy-focused lense through which underrepresented identities can see themselves realized on the screen particularly in the LGTBQIA+ community. Animation, for example, is just one medium that has come a long way. Historically, whether it was the animators depiction or the audience’s perception of… Read more »

Keyword #3: Gender

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Media has been confirming traditional gender norms and perpetuating unrealistic physical, mental, and emotional standards across centuries. Women, as stated in the reading, are trivialized and both celebrated and condemned for their sexuality. Similarly, men are convinced that they should desire a particular body type and demeanor to be considered masculine. Through endless language and imagery marketed towards these culturally… Read more »

Keyword #2: Identity

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Identity is the subjective view of ourselves and the ways in which we fit into the world. This is detailed by physical, psychological, and interpersonal attributes that allow us to define a sense of community or belonging. One concept about identity that I found really interesting was the debate over structure and agency and begs the question, do we truly… Read more »

Introduction

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Hi everyone! My name is Mary Beatty and I am from Guilford, Connecticut. My pronouns are she/her/hers. My family includes my mom, dad, and older sister who is a junior at Tulane University. I also have three dogs named Rudy, Jack, and Ivy. I applied ED to U of R so I am so excited to be here and meet… Read more »

Keyword Post #1: New Media

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Overall, author Lisa Gitelman suggests that the purpose of new media is “to study the contemporary moment” and follows the “perennial newness of media”. In her discussion of American exceptionalism, I was forced to contemplate both the advantages and burdens in our current climate of continual advancements in media. Significantly, I believe that “new media” contributes greatly to our ability… Read more »