MASCULINE REPRESENTATIONS in STAR WARS by NICOLE
UNMASKING HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY: MASCULINE REPRESENTATIONS IN STAR WARS by NICOLE MARTINEZ B.A., University of Colorado Colorado Springs 2017 A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Communication 2019 © 2019 NICOLE MARTINEZ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii This thesis for the Master of Arts degree by Nicole Martinez has been approved for the Department of Communication by Christopher Bell, Chair K. Maja Krakowiak Katie Sullivan December 16, 2019 iii Martinez, Nicole (M.A. Communication) Unmasking Hegemonic Masculinity: Masculine Representations in Star Wars Thesis directed by Associate Professor Christopher Bell. ABSTRACT Star Wars has influenced generations of American viewers for decades but has gone largely unanalyzed when it comes to a critique of the discourses about masculinity presented in the films. This is problematic as media serves as an agent of socialization, and the representations of masculinity in the Star Wars franchise may influence viewers’ idealization of masculinity leading to real world consequences. The research questions being analyzed in this study are: Is hegemonic masculinity performed by central characters in Star Wars? If so, how is it reinforced, how is it challenged, and how do these change over time? This study uses a critical discourse analysis to analyze the character development of twenty central characters of the Star Wars franchise, how these characters are both challenged and aspire to fall into ideals of hegemonic masculinity, and how these ideals may shift over time. Keywords: Star Wars, Critical Discourse Analysis, Hegemonic Masculinity, Toxic Masculinity iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all of the people in my life who made it possible for me to submit this thesis and pursue my Masters education.
[Show full text]