Asian Popular Culture (Panel / In-Person)

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Special Session
Asian / Cultural Studies

Satoko Kakihara (California State University - Fullerton)
skak@****.com (Log-in to reveal)

This session on Asian popular culture aims to bring together papers that approach the field from a variety of theoretical perspectives, examining objects ranging from literature and comics to visual media and music. Looking at how producers and consumers create value as well as affective investment, what do we stand to learn about how culture is made for and by the people? This session is open to a wide range of questions and disciplinary approaches that touch on these and related topics.

Ultimately, this session seeks to explore how Asian popular culture reflects, shapes, and challenges contemporary society. While all relevant submissions are welcome, topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

Fandom and Affective Economies: Fan communities, subcultures, and consumer investment in global phenomena (e.g., K-pop, J-pop, or anime conventions).

Sequential Art and Graphic Narratives: Form and thematic shifts in manga, manhua, webtoons, and independent comics.

Screen Cultures and Screenwriting: Critical approaches to television dramas, commercial cinema, and local vs. global streaming platforms.

Digital Media and Everyday Life: The role of gaming, TikTok, virtual idols, and social media trends in shaping popular expression.

Transnational Identity and Crossover: How local cultural objects migrate, undergo adaptation, or challenge traditional borders and regional boundaries.