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Dr. Michaela D.E. Meyer, professor of communication and academic director of undergraduate research and creative activity, has co-edited Adventures in Shondaland: Identity Politics and the Power of Representation, along with Dr. Rachel A. Griffin, of the University of Utah. The book is set for public release in September from Rutgers University Press.
The book provides a critical reading of television producer, screenwriter and author Shonda Rhimes, her television creations, and her production company Shondaland. The book theorizes Rhimes’ contributions and influence by inspiring provocative conversations about television as a deeply politicized institution and explores how Rhimes fits into the implications of 21st-century television.
“I have been hooked on Shonda Rhimes since the very first episode of 'Grey’s Anatomy,' and for years have been tuning in to 'TGIT' on ABC like so many other people,” Meyer says. “When Rachel and I started chatting about the complexity of Shonda’s creations and their cultural impact from a variety of vantage points, we just couldn’t let it go. So we found ourselves a dream team of creative, smart intellectuals to really dig deep into the complexities of Shondaland in our current cultural moment, both as academics and as fans.”
In addition to serving as the collection’s editors, Meyer and Griffin authored the opening chapter, which examines 21st century changes in television industry, identity politics and audience engagement with television. Meyer also co-authored another chapter on soundtracking in Shondaland with Dr. Jennifer Billinson, assistant professor in the Department of Communication.