Henry Jenkins, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Comparative Media Studies Program, will discuss how new and old media intersect and affect pop culture, and what that means for the future of participation in the institutions that affect our lives.
In Jenkins’ MIT blog, he writes, “We are living in an age when changes in communications, storytelling and information technologies are reshaping almost every aspect of contemporary life – including how we create, consume, learn and interact with each other.”
He is the author of several books, including “Convergence Culture,” “Fans, Bloggers and Gamers” and “The Wow Climax.” Jenkins received his bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Georgia State University, a master’s in communication studies from the University of Iowa and holds a doctoral degree in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, according to his blog, Confessions of an Aca-Fan.
Jenkins defines an Aca-Fan as a person who is part pop culture fan and part academic. Jenkins writes the goal of his research has been to bridge the gap between the academic and fan worlds.
Jenkins’ lecture, titled “Art and Storytelling in the Age of Media Convergence,” will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in 182 Lillis. The lecture is free and sponsored by the Oregon Humanities Center.
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