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Glee and New Directions for Social Change

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Editors:
  1. Brian C. Johnson

    1. Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, USA

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Daniel K. Faill

    1. Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • The essays in this text represent the work of a community of scholars and Gleeks who provide unique perspectives on how a bunch of “freaks” face the daily challenges to find place in the cultural mainstream and how these characters provide commentary to affect social change.

Part of the book series: Youth, Media, & Culture Series (YMCS)

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Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
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  2. The Framework

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Using the “New Directions” to Move Media Viewers in the Right Directions

      • Drew Shade, Keunyeong Kim, Eun-Hwa Jung, Mary Beth Oliver
      Pages 3-15

  3. Bullying

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 17-17
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    2. A Gleek Perspective on Slushie Facials

      • Kimberley Walsh
      Pages 19-39

    3. I’ll Stand by You

      • Kelly p. Dillon
      Pages 41-57

  4. LGBTQ (MIS)Representations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 59-59
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    2. Glee Goes Gaga

      • Jenna Guitar
      Pages 61-68

    3. Something Old & Borrowed

      • Ryan Cales
      Pages 69-79

    4. Kurt and Blaine

      • Gene Kelly
      Pages 81-93

    5. Sue Sylvester, Coach Beiste, Santana Lopez, and Unique Adams

      • Kathryn Hobson
      Pages 95-107

  5. Identity Politics

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 109-109
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    2. Glee and “Born this Way”

      • Margeaux Lippman-Hoskins
      Pages 111-122

    3. ‘Loser like Me’

      • Kristen Navarro
      Pages 123-137

    4. “Handi-Capable”?

      • Dana Hasson
      Pages 139-157

  6. Death and the Search for Meaning

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 159-159
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    2. From “Grilled Cheesus” to “The Quarterback”

      • Shannon M. Taylor
      Pages 161-171

    3. “On Our Way”

      • Dustin Bradley Goltz
      Pages 173-184

    4. The Asteroid and the Shooter

      • Davis B. Smith
      Pages 185-194

    5. Swan Song

      • Lisa K. Perdigao
      Pages 195-206
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Keywords

About this book

In the fall of 2009, the Fox network took a bold step in their primetime television lineup. Borrowing from the success of reality music performance shows like its own American Idol, the network introduced us to the students at McKinley High School, a fictional high school in Lima, OH, and home to the glee club known as the New Directions. The group is made up of freaks and geeks who feel the wrath of being “different.” The cool kids are hell bent on making life difficult for the students in glee club. Yet, because of the determination of Mr. Will Schuester, the club’s advisor, along with a few great songs, Glee has brought a new tone of inclusion to modern television and direct parallels can be seen between the experiences of the show choir members and what is happening in contemporary society. Glee has shown the importance of examining the intersections of pop culture and social issues; this text will encourage thinking on how effective the show has been beyond the screen. Essays provide critical analyses of the show, its characters, and its overall usefulness as a commentary on social issues. The show’s content often deals with subject matter that would lend easily to critique around such social issues as sexuality, bullying, interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and family relationships. This text invites readers to examine the intersections between media, society, and the individual.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, USA

    Brian C. Johnson

  • Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA

    Daniel K. Faill

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Glee and New Directions for Social Change

  • Editors: Brian C. Johnson, Daniel K. Faill

  • Series Title: Youth, Media, & Culture Series

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-905-0

  • Publisher: SensePublishers Rotterdam

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Education (R0)

  • Copyright Information: SensePublishers-Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2015

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-6209-905-0Published: 27 February 2015

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVI, 232

  • Topics: Education, general

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