Augustana's Christina Kunkel presents summer research on feminist media analysis

2013 Nov 27

Christina Kunkel, a senior English and Communication Studies major from Peru, Ill., presented the findings from her summer research project at the recent Women & Society Conference at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The presentation was a condensed version of Kunkel's feminist media analysis on HBO's hit series, Games of Thrones, focusing on gender, femininity and power relations within the patriarchal context of the show.

With the guidance from Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow, associate professor of communication studies, for her project, Kunkel analyzed how women in positions of power are portrayed in the high fantasy genre in contemporary media. Through an in-depth analysis of Game of Thrones, Kunkel considers what stereotypes and social norms are being represented and reinforced to large audiences, focusing on the prevailing gender hierarchy that continues to disadvantage women.

Kunkel describes the opportunity to participate in the Women & Society Conference as an undergraduate, among mostly graduate students and professionals, as a rewarding experience. She attended the panel discussion about her own research and other sessions and talked with other students and professors with similar interests.

"Apart from the academic experience, I feel that being at the conference was a great experience to develop my public speaking skills through practice and watching the other presentations," Kunkel said.

Kunkel used Enlightened Sexism by scholar Susan Douglas as a major source for her research. Douglas argues that the media representations that show women as having true equality to men when it is not an actually accomplished fact in society reinforce the gender hierarchy still present. Kunkel further concludes that the shameless and foregrounded oppression of the female characters in Games of Thrones within the medieval and patriarchal society of the show critiques our own society's continued subjugation of women.

"I am a huge fan of the show," Kunkel said. "I really loved it prior to doing my research project, but after I critically analyzed the criticism it presents, I have grown to respect it even more."