Description
The distribution and circulation of popular cultural artifacts open up new spaces to reconsider how we make sense of the world, how we experience it, and what we define as political. This panel explores diverse cultural artifacts and their roles in shaping political and social narratives, ideas, communities, and understanding. The papers engage with artifacts ranging from novels and theme parks to ballet shoes, exploring concepts such as friendship, immigration, American exceptionalism, modernity, efficiency, and inequality. Central to these discussions is an exploration of identity and community, highlighting both grounds for optimism but also of (perhaps unfounded) utopianism. Together, these papers offer a multifaceted examination of how cultural artifacts and narratives influence and reflect broader political and social dynamics, from local friendships to global identities.
