About the Author
This website represents the culmination of my time at the University of Texas at Austin receiving my Masters in Media Studies.
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I first began to take an interest in machine-human interactions and relationships in Dr. Sharon Strover's "Communication, Technology, and Culture" class, where I was first introduced to the digital influencer Lil Miquela. Miquela was the start of my thinking about the ways that we integrate machines and technology into our daily lives. In following this line of enquiry, I found myself contemplating the way that in taking a recuperative stance toward technology, and in looking at our images of machines and tech through a queer lens, can reveal new modes of being in the world. I found myself transfixed by the ways that these creations are frequently the backdrop that allow humans a way to imagine a different world and a different self. More often than not, these imaginings take on a distinctly counter-hegemonic sensibility.
Halfway through “Communication, Technology, and Culture” (Spring 2020), the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into remote online courses. I’m writing this section on the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring a worldwide pandemic. Since then, I’ve completed the majority of my Masters remotely.
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to extend my utmost gratitude to Dr. Curran Nault. He has spent the last year finding Zoom links that were buried in his inbox so that we could go virtually meet twice a month. I didn’t have the opportunity to take a class with, or even meet Curran, before UT went remote due to the COVID-19 crisis. Throughout this process every one of our interactions has been mediated by technology. It speaks to his character, and deep sense of empathy, that I have felt supported every step of the way in this project.
Secondly, I would like to thank Jackson Wright, who is not only a superb friend, but also an invaluable asset to this process. Him and I were the only people in our cohort that opted to do reports. We met every Monday on Zoom for a year to work together, but, first and foremost, to check in with each other and talk through our weeks. While Jackson and I had been in a class together before going remote, we grew much closer during this last year. As the pandemic has been incredibly isolating at times, it has been nothing short of a joy logging onto Zoom, FaceTiming with him after class, or meeting in a park to talk with him. It’s been inspiring to see his creative vision behind “Masculinity in Transit: Steven Yeun, John Cho, and the Korean American Diaspora Onscreen” come together.
I would also like to thank Dr. Madhavi Mallapragada for acting as my Second Reader on this project. “Media and Diaspora” was foundational in thinking about the way that I understand and interact with theory both on the page and in my lived life.
Lastly, I want to extend my thanks and deep gratitude to my family, friends, and my dog, Roswell. Without your support, cheerleading, and tail wagging through my Masters and through the pandemic I would not be sitting here at the end of this process typing out these acknowledgments.
Thank you.
Jackson’s project “Masculinity in Transit: Steven Yeun, John Cho, and the Korean American Diaspora Onscreen” can be found here.