Fandom in Academia With Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier

Welcome back to season two of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast! In the season premiere episode, host Jenna Wrenn spoke with professor and research assistant at Germany’s University of Kassel, Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier.

Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast

The “Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast” is a new series from the team at the Temple of GeekPortrait of a Fangirl initially began as a web series and has now expanded into a podcast series as well. You can watch and listen to the series both here and on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, at the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.

You can listen to the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart RadioSpotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel. You can also find us on social media on Instagram and TikTok.

Academia in Fandom with Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier

Being a fangirl looks different to each person. But what does being a fangirl within the boundaries of higher education look like? Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier took the time to talk to us and explain how fandom shaped her life and how she incorporates being a fangirl into higher education.

From a young age, Dr. Mittermeier was enthralled by her frequent family trips to Disney parks. That fascination would eventually translate to her research in graduate school which focused on popular culture.

Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier
Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier

Dr. Mittermeier obtained her Ph.D. in American Cultural History from the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich and went on to publish A Cultural History of Disneyland Theme Parks – Middle-Class KingdomsAccording to Dr. Mittermeier’s university biography:

The book focuses on Disneylands in Anaheim, California (1955), Orlando, Florida (1971), Tokyo (1983), Paris (1992), Hong Kong (2005), and Shanghai (2016), situating them in the historical contexts at the time of their opening. It also sheds light on the influence of class on their (mis)success.

She has co-edited books relating to popular culture, including:

  • Fan Phenomena: Disney 
  • The Routledge Handbook to Star Trek
  • Fighting for the Future: Essays on Star Trek: Discovery
  • Time and Temporality in Theme Parks
  • Key Concepts in Theme Park Studies
  • Here You Leave Today: Time and Temporality in Theme Parks.

As a professor, Dr. Mittermeier teaches courses fit for a fangirl, with topics such as theme parks, film, and television, but with a historian’s twist, particularly, coursework focused on the 20th and 21st centuries, and how history helps us understand it these forms of media.

Her postdoctoral research project deals with “Unmade Queer Television in the US and West Germany.”

You can follow Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier on Instagram and Twitter. She also hosts a podcast called In Front of Ira, where she and her cohost discuss how the romantic comedy genre has evolved, what it can tell us about society, and whether a movie is worth watching.

About our Host

Jenna Wrenn is the host and executive producer of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast, as well as an entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek.  Jenna has conducted interviews with talent such as Max Brooks, Christopher Paolini, Rachel Smythe, and Ashley Eckstein and has written several articles for Temple of Geek covering conventions, anime, pop culture, and much more.

Jenna is a historian by trade, writer by passion, and cat mom by birthright. Jenna loves to travel, forging new connections, and cosplaying. She is excited to bring more fascinating interviews to viewers/listeners of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast.

Check out season one of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast

Author

  • Jenna Wrenn

    Host and executive producer of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast, Jenna Wrenn, is also an entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek. Jenna has conducted interviews with talent such as Max Brooks, Christopher Paolini, Rachel Smythe, and Ashley Eckstein and has written several articles for Temple of Geek covering conventions, anime, pop culture, and much more. A historian by trade, a writer by passion, and a cat mom by birthright. Jenna loves to travel, forge new connections, and cosplay. Jenna is excited to bring more fascinating interviews to viewers/listeners of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast.

    View all posts

Jenna Wrenn

Host and executive producer of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast, Jenna Wrenn, is also an entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek. Jenna has conducted interviews with talent such as Max Brooks, Christopher Paolini, Rachel Smythe, and Ashley Eckstein and has written several articles for Temple of Geek covering conventions, anime, pop culture, and much more.

A historian by trade, a writer by passion, and a cat mom by birthright. Jenna loves to travel, forge new connections, and cosplay. Jenna is excited to bring more fascinating interviews to viewers/listeners of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast.

More From Author

The 2nd Annual Scene Breakdown Panel returns to WonderCon

New Season of “Doctor Who” debuts on May 10th with two episodes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.