In this paper, we seek to understand how shipping and anti-fan practices intersect to create mean... more In this paper, we seek to understand how shipping and anti-fan practices intersect to create meaningful audience engagement and civic discourse about contemporary social and political issues in the “politics of viewing” CW’s adaptation of Riverdale. By examining tagged posts from January 3, 2017 to June 26, 2019, we elicit how fan-rhetoric operates in a digitally networked environment and interrogate the intra-fan rivalries between shippers, anti-shippers, and anti-fans that underpin the Riverdale fandom on Tumblr. In doing so, we begin to sketch out a taxonomy of shipping-specific anti-fan practices, extending Gray’s work into different types and modes of anti-fandom to consider the role shipping plays within consumption practices, fandom stratification, and the production of civic discourse online.
In October 2017, millions of people reflected on their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment... more In October 2017, millions of people reflected on their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment, publicly sharing their testimonials in an expression of global vulnerability using the hashtag #MeToo. Many of the tweets portrayed the angst and distress individuals experienced in their decision to participate, indicating the psychological costs of engaging with #MeToo. Further, some tweets expressed frustration at the re-appropriated nature of the campaign and the collective feeling of an “intersectional betrayal” by white women and feminists who dominated the mainstream media reporting of the movement. This research foregrounds the intersectional concerns that result from the scale and reach of the millions of testimonials suspended online that constitute the #MeToo movement. It highlights how the many stories that have circulated the online sphere obscure the absence and recognition of marginalised women and those who are already more vulnerable in regards to experiencing sexual a...
Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
Social media platforms have been struggling to moderate at scale. In an effort to better cope wit... more Social media platforms have been struggling to moderate at scale. In an effort to better cope with content moderation discussion has turned to the role that automated machine-learning (ML) tools might play. The development of automated systems by social media platforms is a notoriously opaque process and public values that pertain to the common good are at stake within these often-obscured processes. One site in which social values are being negotiated is in the framing of what is considered ‘toxic’ by platforms in the development of automated moderation processes. This study takes into consideration differing notions of toxicity – community, platform and societal by examining three measures of toxicity and community health (the ML tool Perspective API; Reddit’s 2020 Content Policy; and the Sense of Community Index-2) and how they are operationalised in the context of r/MGTOW – an antifeminist group known for its misogyny. Several stages of content analysis were conducted on the top...
Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 2022
Data visualisation has become ubiquitous in everyday life, from seeing images in news media to tr... more Data visualisation has become ubiquitous in everyday life, from seeing images in news media to tracking individual health indicators. While the effects of data visualisation on society and people have been explored within a range of literature, there has been far less attention paid to the interconnectedness of data visualisation and policy making. In this special issue, we explore how data visualisation matters for policy priorities, processes and outcomes; how it reflects the demands and constraints posed by specific policy problems; and finally, what data visualisations reveal about broader political, social, and cultural shifts and the implications for policy.
In this paper, we seek to understand how shipping and anti-fan practices intersect to create mean... more In this paper, we seek to understand how shipping and anti-fan practices intersect to create meaningful audience engagement and civic discourse about contemporary social and political issues in the “politics of viewing” CW’s adaptation of Riverdale. By examining tagged posts from January 3, 2017 to June 26, 2019, we elicit how fan-rhetoric operates in a digitally networked environment and interrogate the intra-fan rivalries between shippers, anti-shippers, and anti-fans that underpin the Riverdale fandom on Tumblr. In doing so, we begin to sketch out a taxonomy of shipping-specific anti-fan practices, extending Gray’s work into different types and modes of anti-fandom to consider the role shipping plays within consumption practices, fandom stratification, and the production of civic discourse online.
In October 2017, millions of people reflected on their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment... more In October 2017, millions of people reflected on their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment, publicly sharing their testimonials in an expression of global vulnerability using the hashtag #MeToo. Many of the tweets portrayed the angst and distress individuals experienced in their decision to participate, indicating the psychological costs of engaging with #MeToo. Further, some tweets expressed frustration at the re-appropriated nature of the campaign and the collective feeling of an “intersectional betrayal” by white women and feminists who dominated the mainstream media reporting of the movement. This research foregrounds the intersectional concerns that result from the scale and reach of the millions of testimonials suspended online that constitute the #MeToo movement. It highlights how the many stories that have circulated the online sphere obscure the absence and recognition of marginalised women and those who are already more vulnerable in regards to experiencing sexual a...
Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
Social media platforms have been struggling to moderate at scale. In an effort to better cope wit... more Social media platforms have been struggling to moderate at scale. In an effort to better cope with content moderation discussion has turned to the role that automated machine-learning (ML) tools might play. The development of automated systems by social media platforms is a notoriously opaque process and public values that pertain to the common good are at stake within these often-obscured processes. One site in which social values are being negotiated is in the framing of what is considered ‘toxic’ by platforms in the development of automated moderation processes. This study takes into consideration differing notions of toxicity – community, platform and societal by examining three measures of toxicity and community health (the ML tool Perspective API; Reddit’s 2020 Content Policy; and the Sense of Community Index-2) and how they are operationalised in the context of r/MGTOW – an antifeminist group known for its misogyny. Several stages of content analysis were conducted on the top...
Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 2022
Data visualisation has become ubiquitous in everyday life, from seeing images in news media to tr... more Data visualisation has become ubiquitous in everyday life, from seeing images in news media to tracking individual health indicators. While the effects of data visualisation on society and people have been explored within a range of literature, there has been far less attention paid to the interconnectedness of data visualisation and policy making. In this special issue, we explore how data visualisation matters for policy priorities, processes and outcomes; how it reflects the demands and constraints posed by specific policy problems; and finally, what data visualisations reveal about broader political, social, and cultural shifts and the implications for policy.
Slides accompanying ICA presentation on the paper Networked Narratives. Analysing how Indigenous ... more Slides accompanying ICA presentation on the paper Networked Narratives. Analysing how Indigenous and white Australian feminist writers are challenging postfeminist and post-racial narratives on Twitter.
Presented at the Superhero Symposium, ACMI, Melbourne.
The superpowers of heroes and villains ha... more Presented at the Superhero Symposium, ACMI, Melbourne.
The superpowers of heroes and villains have often been used as metaphors for wider cultural attitudes and issues (Haas, 1994). From symbolising alienation and the struggles of puberty, to finding strength and dealing with oppression, superpowers have been a trope used for exploring sensitive issues with a broad, mainstream audience. Netflix’s superhero 13-episode season of Jessica Jones is a prime example of exploring rape culture, an issue that has traditionally been ignored or suppressed, with a mainstream audience with renown success. This paper examines Jessica Jones’ supervillain Kilgrave and how his mind control superpower represents issues of rape and rape culture.
Election Talk in Third Spaces slides for our book chapter in the 2016 Australian Federal Election... more Election Talk in Third Spaces slides for our book chapter in the 2016 Australian Federal Election book, presented at University of Sydney. Written with Scott Wright & William Lukamto
The superpowers of heroes and villains have often been used as metaphors for wider cultural attit... more The superpowers of heroes and villains have often been used as metaphors for wider cultural attitudes and issues (Haas, 1994). From symbolising alienation and the struggles of puberty, to finding strength and dealing with oppression, superpowers have been a trope used for exploring sensitive issues with a broad, mainstream audience. Netflix's superhero 13-episode season of Jessica Jones is a prime example of exploring rape culture, an issue that has traditionally been ignored or suppressed, with a mainstream audience with renown success. This paper examines Jessica Jones' supervillain Kilgrave and how his mind control superpower represents issues of rape and rape culture.
Typical of the super villain archetype, Kilgrave represents the privileged, upper class, white, heterosexual male. Throughout the series, Kilgrave denies responsibility for his power claiming: " I never know if someone is doing what they want, or what I tell them to " (Jessica Jones, ep.8). In this way, Kilgrave's mind control power is akin to white, male privilege; something he consistently claims not to recognise yet fully utilizes at any given opportunity. Jessica challenges Kilgrave to be accountable for his power and privilege, however he consistently deflects responsibility by playing the victim.
Jessica Jones' focus does not solely concentrate on the story of a survivor confronting her abuser and achieving retribution; instead it brings Kilgrave, the perpetrator, to the foreground and inspects his belief that he has done nothing wrong. While Jessica Jones and Kilgrave both have superpowers which help illustrate aspects of their identity, the crux of their conflict stems from everyday issues surrounding relationships, connection, vulnerability, power, and entitlement. This paper investigates how Jessica Jones' supervillain Kilgrave and his mind control power represent both physical and mental rape and provokes discussion into the surrounding issues of rape culture in Western society.
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Papers by Verity Trott
The superpowers of heroes and villains have often been used as metaphors for wider cultural attitudes and issues (Haas, 1994). From symbolising alienation and the struggles of puberty, to finding strength and dealing with oppression, superpowers have been a trope used for exploring sensitive issues with a broad, mainstream audience. Netflix’s superhero 13-episode season of Jessica Jones is a prime example of exploring rape culture, an issue that has traditionally been ignored or suppressed, with a mainstream audience with renown success. This paper examines Jessica Jones’ supervillain Kilgrave and how his mind control superpower represents issues of rape and rape culture.
Written with Scott Wright & William Lukamto
Typical of the super villain archetype, Kilgrave represents the privileged, upper class, white, heterosexual male. Throughout the series, Kilgrave denies responsibility for his power claiming: " I never know if someone is doing what they want, or what I tell them to " (Jessica Jones, ep.8). In this way, Kilgrave's mind control power is akin to white, male privilege; something he consistently claims not to recognise yet fully utilizes at any given opportunity. Jessica challenges Kilgrave to be accountable for his power and privilege, however he consistently deflects responsibility by playing the victim.
Jessica Jones' focus does not solely concentrate on the story of a survivor confronting her abuser and achieving retribution; instead it brings Kilgrave, the perpetrator, to the foreground and inspects his belief that he has done nothing wrong. While Jessica Jones and Kilgrave both have superpowers which help illustrate aspects of their identity, the crux of their conflict stems from everyday issues surrounding relationships, connection, vulnerability, power, and entitlement. This paper investigates how Jessica Jones' supervillain Kilgrave and his mind control power represent both physical and mental rape and provokes discussion into the surrounding issues of rape culture in Western society.