Queenie’s Body and Powers: Abjection and Objectification in American Horror Story: Coven

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Popular Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

In this project I explicate how we can understand abjection intersectionally through the case study of the character Queenie in American Horror Story: Coven. I also explore how abjection is contextual—set in terms of time space, place and gaze. Currently, within the United States, our lens of abjection has turned to fatness. In academia, however, using a critical lens to fat is relatively new. Size is not seen as an identity vector imperative to explore when using an intersectional lens, yet we look to race, gender, and nationality (to name a few). By leaving body size out of this conversation we then assume that all sizes are privileged equally. While Critical Fat Studies is often situated in Gender Studies, shifting our research into Communication Studies allows us to examine specific bodies and popular culture artifacts as texts.

Author

• Miranda Olzman, U of Denver