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  • © 2018

Age of the Geek

Depictions of Nerds and Geeks in Popular Media

Palgrave Macmillan

Editors:

  • One of the first multidisciplinary edited volumes to work to synthesize a theory of “geek” and “nerd” identification in contemporary American culture
  • Interrogates the conflicting positions of seeming acceptance of “geek” and “nerd” brands and self-identification while marginalization of those within these groups remain marginalized
  • Combines theoretically and empirically-based work in a clearly-connected fashion
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. How Was the Nerd or Geek Born?

    • Kathryn E. Lane
    Pages 1-18
  3. What Did You Call Me?: Defining Geekdom

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 19-20
    2. Mediagasms, Ironic Nerds, and Mainstream Geeks: A Multimethodological Ideographic Cluster Analysis of and on Twitter

      • Steven S. Vrooman, Tiffiny Sia, Michael Czuchry, Christopher Bollinger
      Pages 43-65
  4. In or Out?: Defending Nerddom

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 89-90
  5. I Saw It on TV: Depictions of “Other” Nerd/Geek Stereotypes on Television

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 167-168
    2. How Is It Okay to Be a Black Nerd?

      • Johnathan Charles Flowers
      Pages 169-191
  6. I Am A Nerd!: Depictions of the Nerd/Geek Stereotype on Film

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 231-232
    2. Survival of the Smartest?

      • Kathryn E. Lane
      Pages 285-292

About this book

This collection examines the nerd and/or geek stereotype in popular culture today. Utilizing the media—film, TV, YouTube, Twitter, fiction—that often defines daily lives, the contributors interrogate what it means to be labeled a “nerd” or “geek.” While the nerd/geek that is so easily recognized now is assuredly a twenty-first century construct, an examination of the terms’ history brings a greater understanding of their evolution. From sports to slasher films, Age of the Geek establishes a dialogue with texts as varied as the depictions of “nerd” or “geek” stereotypes.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of English, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, USA

    Kathryn E. Lane

About the editor

Kathryn E. Lane is Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of English at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, USA. Lane founded the Geek and Popular Culture area at the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference in 2012. She has published an article on BBC’s series Sherlock, presented on The Big Bang Theory, Scorpion, and Blindspot

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access