Faculty of Humanities Proposal for a research group in the Faculty of

Faculty of Humanities Proposal for a research group in the Faculty of

Faculty of Humanities
Proposal for a research group in the Faculty of Humanities
1. Name of the research group
Transmedia Serial Narration
2. Coordinator
Anne Kustritz
3. Members of the research group
dr. J. Goggin
dr. D.A. Hassler-Forest
dr. A.M. Kustritz
dr. M. Poulaki
External Members:
Claire Cornillon (ATER, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3/ Université Paris 13 – Nord)
Danièle André (Maître de Conférences, Université de la Rochelle)
Mélanie Bourdaa (Maître de Conférences, Université Michel de Montaigne – Bordeaux 3)
Claire Colin (ATER, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3, Université du Havre)
Nadja Djuric (ATER, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3)
Sarah Hatchuel (Professeur des Universités, Université du Havre)
Ariane Hudelet (Maître de Conférences, Université Paris 7 –Diderot)
Louiza Kadari (Doctorante Contractuelle, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3)
Pierre Leroux (Doctorant Contractuel, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3)
LJ Maher (Doctorante, Monash University)
Isabelle Périer (Docteur, Université de Grenoble III)
Natacha Vas-Deyres (Chargé de cours, Université Michel de Montaigne – Bordeaux III)
Aurélie Villers (PRCE, Université Picardie – Jules Verne)
4. Description of the research programme of the research group (max. 400 words)
This group investigates serial narration and imaginary universes which span across media. The emerging
practice of building universes and narration within a transmedia network encompassing television
series, films, web series, and websites raises questions about the social, cultural, and political affects,
consequences, and opportunities presented by a new era of media proliferation. Such strategies
incorporate a contradictory patchwork of old and new media. For instance, producers of the North
American series Lost simultaneously developed a parallel narrative utilizing webpages, phone numbers,
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Faculty of Humanities
fictitious blogs, and characters or firms from the TV series to produce a puzzle for the audience to piece
together. In addition, longstanding studies of adaptation gain increased complexity within transmedia,
which considers not only how literary chapters compare to television episodes, but also how these
narrative forms translate to the “webisode” and other emergent formats. Such web-inspired formats
like serialized e-novels ask new questions about established concepts like “seriality;” for example, this
year French digital novels published in serial installments including soundtracks and interactive elements
symptomatically borrowed the television term “episodes” to refer to these transmedia works.
Conversely, the transformative works of fans also stretch traditional understandings of “transmedia.”
These rogue amateur media economies challenge narrative closure, authorship, and the hegemony of
the culture industry in an era of increased audience interaction and production. All these elements
reconsider established understandings of narration while further extending its possibilities through
transmedia networks. By inviting in audiences even more intimately than ever before, narrative
franchises seek to increase viewer loyalty and investment; yet these investments can also radically
diverge from those planned and fostered by producers, creating a contradictory network of desires,
ownership claims, and ever multiplying narrative branches. These seminars seek to tackle two key
questions: How do specific storytelling and narrative techniques function in individual case studies? and - Can established popular culture studies perspectives illuminate the philosophy and politics of
transmedia storytelling?
5. Envisaged results (max. 100 words)
In collaboration with Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Comparatistes (CERC, EA 172), Université
Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3, this research group organizes a seminar series.
The group also plans a series of related publications, and a webpage for public outreach and scholarly
collaboration.
6. Work plan and time schedule (max. 100 words)
The symposia are scheduled from January through June of 2013.
7. Societal relevance
The topic of this research group is extremely timely as the media industry, the academy, and average
viewers are currently all struggling to understand the meaning of transformations in storytelling via
multiple platforms. The seminar series is free and open to the public, while the website is also public
and collaborative, aimed at making the group’s research available to as wide an audience as possible.
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