Although speculative fiction in all its iterations has historically mostly been the domain of white, Western men it inherently possesses the capacity for theorizing different futures. This thesis...Show moreAlthough speculative fiction in all its iterations has historically mostly been the domain of white, Western men it inherently possesses the capacity for theorizing different futures. This thesis will explore the works of speculative fiction by three female authors of color: N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy, Octavia Butler’s Parable duology and Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death to examine how these novels imagine alternative futures. The theoretical framework will consist of the integration of posthumanist thought with cyborg theory and postcolonial theory, as these theoretical approaches all share the theorization of challenge to dominant power structures. Ultimately, this thesis will read these works and specifically their main characters as figures who straddle or ascend boundaries and in doing so, offer possibilities for transformation and resistance.Show less
An inquiry into the transformation of the collective U.S. memory of the Tulsa Race Massacre through remediation in HBO's Watchmen (2019) and Lovecraft Country (2020).
In this thesis, the argument is made that the extent to which secrecy was employed in early twentieth-century lynching in the American Deep South is dependent on whether that secrecy provided the...Show moreIn this thesis, the argument is made that the extent to which secrecy was employed in early twentieth-century lynching in the American Deep South is dependent on whether that secrecy provided the desired sense of security from persecution to those participating in a lynch mob. Using three case studies, ranging from a highly publicized and public killing in Waco, Texas, to a group slaying of remotely situated Mexican Texans by a division of Texas Rangers, to a highly coordinated attack on a jewish factory boss in the dark of night, it is argued that either the cover of obscurity or the anonimity in a large group setting could each supply the needed sense of safety for those participating in the lynching to commit to the act fully. The circumstances which would dictate the public or secretive approach varied widely in the studied cases, yet there are some common grounds to be found among them as well.Show less
This thesis focuses on intergenerational Japanese American activism after 1945, relating to nuclear weapons. Both hibakusha (i.e. atom-bomb survivors) and Americans with Japanese heritage voiced...Show moreThis thesis focuses on intergenerational Japanese American activism after 1945, relating to nuclear weapons. Both hibakusha (i.e. atom-bomb survivors) and Americans with Japanese heritage voiced their concerns about a nuclear holocaust. Traced over time, this thesis argues that Japanese American activist groups addressed and reflected on the critical heritage of the bomb, making sure that there will be “No more Hiroshima’s and Nagasaki’s.”Show less
In 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the...Show moreIn 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the Washington Post described and presented the boys in the media storm. In what way did the New York Times and the Washington Post frame the Central Park Five around the trial, meaning before, during, and after the exoneration in 2002 and the settlement with the city of New York in 2014? Previous research concerning this case study has primarily focused on details of the case and other aspects. This research uses framing theory and the White Racial Frame to show patterns of racial frames in the two newspapers. The research shows that while the racial narratives were prevalent around the trial, they became less visible after decades had passed. This thesis demonstrates that how the boys were depicted was highly influenced by their time. With the years going by, the frame changed as well. In the end, the men were viewed positively instead of demonized.Show less
James Marion Sims (1813-1883) is known as the ‘godfather of gynaecology.’ This American doctor had a career spanning Alabama, New York City and even undertook a European tour. He founded the United...Show moreJames Marion Sims (1813-1883) is known as the ‘godfather of gynaecology.’ This American doctor had a career spanning Alabama, New York City and even undertook a European tour. He founded the United States’ first Woman’s Hospital, but one of his first major contributions to medicine was finding a cure for vesico-vaginal fistula: the tearing of the vaginal wall due to trauma. This launched his career in medicine. However, he found this cure by performing medical experiments on enslaved Black women in his private clinic. In the Woman’s Hospital his patients were predominantly Irish immigrant women from the working classes of the city. This research explores what made it possible for a White man such as Sims to perform these unethical experiments on these women, who were racialised as Black. Through Foucault’s concept of the medical gaze and Kimberlé Crenshaw’s intersectional feminist critique, this thesis explores the professionalisation of medicine in the nineteenth century, scientific racism, the genesis of gynaecology, racial formation, medical experimentation and how Sims fits into these structures. The focus is the identity formation of Sims himself and his patients, who were intersectionally marginalised. Considering their race, class, ability and gender, one can reconstruct how they fit into the fabric of American society, and why exactly Sims and his colleagues were allowed to experiment on enslaved, working class, ill women when they never considered treating more privileged women (or men) in such a manner.Show less
