The Cultural Studies Department recently offered undergraduate Cultural Studies students the opportunity to publish their research in the esteemed academic journal Mediapolis.
Four undergraduate student papers by Trent Cultural Studies and Media Studies majors were featured in Mediapolis’ inaugural Student Voices section. The papers were developed from term papers written by the students last year for Advanced Topics in Mass Media and Popular Culture, and with the guidance of their professor, Dr. Joshua Synenko, the students had the chance to experience a taste of academic publishing and graduate studies.
“I am very pleased to be part of an initiative to showcase undergraduate student research through Mediapolis, and I’m equally pleased to offer readers a sampling of the undergraduate scholarship that we encourage at Trent,” said Professor Synenko. “By participating in this forum, students gained first-hand experience of the joys, and occasional bouts of ambivalence, that accompany the academic publishing process. The contributors have met this initiative with great enthusiasm.”
For students such as fourth-year Josh White, the chance to build a professional portfolio while still completing an undergraduate degree opens doors for academic and career pursuits after convocation, and is an experience that sets Trent apart as a leader in the study of the humanities.
“I am extremely grateful to be given this opportunity,” said Mr. White, whose paper, "Urban Topographies of Global Imagination," looks at the portrayal of geographic dimensions of global governance in the popular culture’s imagined global communions, such as in the television show Sense8. “It was a fantastic experience working to get the papers published and I am thankful for the opportunity to include the work in my professional portfolio. This demonstrates the way Trent not only teaches us what we need to know, but also goes above and beyond to help us in our future after graduation.”
The students’ papers are available online at Mediapolis.