Drag symposium

The interdisciplinary symposium – a collaboration between the University of Salford and SODA (Manchester Metropolitan University) - will look at RuPaul as a pop culture sensation and the rising popularity of drag superstars.

Hosted by the University of Salford’s Dr Danny Cookney and SODA’s Dr Kirsty Fairclough, attendees can expect special panel sessions that will analyse the drag makeover challenge, question the show’s ‘Snatch Game’ as a representation of queer pop culture s history, consider how hashtags have boosted the popularity of the show in the online space and highlight the role other TV offerings like Dragula and Pose offer in comparison to Drag Race’s representation of LGBTQ+ people.

With experts in the field from Knoxville, Chicago and Pasadena in the US plus Croatia and Germany, it is set to be a truly international affair.

Dr Danny Cookney says: “This grew out of a public discussion that Kirsty hosted at Manchester’s Cultureplex in January which focussed on RuPaul – something that prompted a lively and intelligent debate about the various aspects of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I suggested that there was a lot that couldn’t be unpacked in one evening - I guess drag queens don’t travel light - and this symposium is the result: a series of themed panels available to anyone interested in the kind of research that may be emerging as this particular TV franchise continues to develop and diversify.”

Dr Kirsty Fairclough adds: "I am delighted to be co-hosting the symposium with the University of Salford's Dr Danny Cookney. RuPaul's Drag Race is a fertile site for debate around a range of issues and subject matter which we will be discussing in detail during the event. With a group of international speakers and an audience of scholars and fans, Supermodels of The World is set to be an exciting and lively celebration of a television phenomenon."

The event will take place from noon until 9.45pm on 25 September 2020. Tickets are free via the link below  

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Published: 18-Sep-2020: (5990)