From walking the red carpet to saving the world: Global celebrity, media, and commodity activism

The purpose of my dissertation is to examine constructions of power, resistance, and gender in media framing of celebrity activism, including contrasting celebrity activists who are granted authority to speak with those who are marginalized by mainstream press. In so doing, I plan to map the institutional deployment of celebrities as activists and to analyze the ways in which celebrity activists' rhetorical strategies combine with media coverage to reinforce hegemonic gender norms, consumerism, and neocolonial political policies. In addition to textual media analysis, I also conducted an audience reception study to explore interpretations of celebrity activism. I argue that those celebrities who receive positive media coverage for their activism tend to work within institutions to address issues, such as aid to children, that do not trigger criticism. My participants' often contradictory statements show a post-generation X disillusionment with traditional forms of activism and favoring of hands-on volunteerism that feels more real (i.e. tangible) to them. They reject "stereotypical" collective action and see their lives as ongoing performances of social engagement. They applaud the peaceful dissemination of information and praise personal enlightenment as an affective state of being that need not be based in facts but in emotions. They are skeptical of the authenticity and efficacy of celebrity activism, but believe that any potentially beneficial action is better than nothing.