Rachael V. Mulvihill is a PhD Candidate in the Literary and Cultural Studies program at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research examines utopian and dystopian representations of capitalism across contemporary fiction, film, and media. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in LABOR: Studies in Working-Class History and Lateral: Journal of the Cultural Studies Association.
Why did you apply to HASTAC Scholars?
I applied to HASTAC Scholars because I am committed to community, intersectionality, and pedagogical skills. HASTAC Scholars allows me to further integrate digital methodologies and collaborative practices in my research about utopian and dystopian fiction, film, and media. Additionally, as an instructor of record for various undergraduate courses, I am invested in engaging with complex social issues and aim to foster a classroom environment where students feel empowered to engage with topics centered around advocacy, reflection, and change. The HASTAC network enables me to collaborate with like-minded individuals and deepens my understanding how digital platforms influence narratives about social justice and power.
What has been your favorite course so far (as instructor or student)? Why?
My favorite course that I’ve taught so far as been my special topics course entitled, “Utopian Dream and Dystopian Nightmares in Fiction, Film, and Videogames.” It was my favorite to teach because the subject matter closely relates to my dissertation research. In this course, I ask students to engage with contemporary dystopian productions that dominate our literature and media into question how vast as economic inequalities, political unrest, global genocides, and ecological disasters impact our communities. What also made this course so enjoyable to teach were the students. While a large number of them were other English majors, there were also students from physics, civil and environmental engineering, computer and information science, history, and more. This created a diverse environment to analyze the themes of the class and the students always showed up prepared and eager to voice their opinions. The students also created creative projects at the end of the semester that ranged from videogames, short stories, advertisements, comic books, posters, and paper dolls.
What inspired your current research or creative work?
As a working-class, queer woman, my research is deeply inspired by social justice movements, political protests, and community engagement. Specifically, I am interested in how contemporary American literature and media articulate what I term as “neoliberal numbness.” I characterize this numbness as not simply an individual failure to feel, but a historically specific response to structural exhaustion. I’m deeply invested in characters that are emotionally flat, tonally deadpanned, and who express ambient anxiety as a response to capitalism.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I plan to pursue a tenure-track job in cultural and/or media studies upon completing my PhD. I am also open to the possibilities of a postdoc.
How does digital scholarship fit into your research, teaching, or activism?
Digital scholarship fits into my research and teaching via the dystopian texts that I analyze. I focus on centering marginalized identities and actively seek out opportunities to learn from people who have different backgrounds than myself. I use media as a platform because television and film speak to a large audience, act as a source of community (fandoms), and point out moments of resistance and protest.
What are you currently working on, and what do you hope to accomplish with it?
I am currently working on an article entitled, “Neoliberal Numbness: Affect and the Labor of Endurance in Contemporary Dystopian Fiction.” I hope to express how structural exhaustion under contemporary capitalism shapes our emotional experiences. In particular, I believe that contemporary fiction insists that readers confront ambiguity, exhaustion, and unresolved affection tension to critique, and hopefully change, the way that capitalism saturates every facet of our professional and personal lives.
What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to?
For my research, I’m currently reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and for pleasure I’m currently reading Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth. I’ve also been obsessed with Florence + The Machine’s new album, Everybody Scream.
What are some things you wish you had known before graduate school (or before entering your current field)?
As a first-generation student, I was very unprepared for the economic landscape of higher education. I wish I had consulted more resources for understanding student debt before taking on academic loans.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
I played roller derby for a number of years before entering my graduate program and lead a local chapter of Community in Bowls (formerly Chicks in Bowls), a skate park community league.
Collaboration and community are central to HASTAC. How have these shaped your work, or how would you like them to in the future?
HASTAC has shaped my work by allowing me to interact with a broader community about issues of technology, equity, and accessibility. I am currently completing a book review project that involves peer review and I am learning a lot from my interdisciplinary colleagues!