The New Formula For Cool

»Our society has undergone a paradigm shift. In the information age, you and I are the alpha males,« Dr Leonard Hofstadter, experimental physicist and protagonist of the hit sitcom »The Big Bang Theory«, assures himself and his fellow scientists. The success of this and similar formats in American popular culture proves his point: Science has finally discovered the formula for cool. This interdisciplinary study examines how »cool«, a key aesthetic and affective category in the American imagination, informs contemporary representations of technoscience. Analyzing selected audiovisual productions, Judith Kohlenberger sheds light on current processes of interaction between science and popular culture, two pivotal sources for change in post-industrial America.

Autorentext

Judith Kohlenberger (Dr. phil.), born 1986, is a post-doctoral researcher forcusing on cultural studies, identity and representation politics. She currently works at the Institute for Social Policy of the Vienna University of Economics and Business and is affiliated with the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital (IIASA, VID/ÖAW, WU). She publishes widely on science studies, migration and education and teaches in the European Studies Program of the University of Vienna.

Zusammenfassung
»An important contribution to the study of American popular culture. It will be a fixture in future discussions addressing the many permutations of 'cool'.« Susanne Hamscha, Amerikastudien, 62/1 (2017) »In her study, Kohlenberger succeeds in dissecting the multiple diverging relationships of science and coolness and provides a compelling analysis of a variety of media texts. This makes 'The New Formula for Cool' not only an important go-to for anyone interested in coolness studies, but also an important contribution to North American Studies and explorations of popular culture in general.« Maria Sulimma, Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, 65/2 (2017) »Der Verdienst der Studie besteht zweifelsohne in der Darlegung des veränderten Verhältnisses von Wissenschaft und Öffentlichkeit im dritten Jahrtausend [...]. Eine dichte und empfehlenswerte Lektüre im Kontext der Erforschung der Populärkultur der Gegenwart.« Annegret Scheibe, MEDIENwissenschaft, 1 (2017) »One can only hope that there will be a continuation and extension of the present engaging and remarkably informative study in the near future.« Katarina Delikonstantinidou, European journal of American studies, 2 (2016)