UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #400

Submission information
Submission Number: 400
Submission ID: 8271
Submission UUID: 7ce56323-3985-4e5c-989e-7c2211535696

Created: Wed, 08/09/2023 - 02:01 PM
Completed: Wed, 08/09/2023 - 02:01 PM
Changed: Fri, 09/29/2023 - 02:36 PM

Remote IP address: 99.38.115.68
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Brittany Barron
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns she/her
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Ms.
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) bbarron@fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation English
Headshot (optional)
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project I’m 100% That Bitch with a Blank Space: The Feminism(s) and Feminist Rhetorical Strategies of Taylor Swift and Lizzo
Project Keywords feminist theory, feminist rhetoric, popular culture, Taylor Swift, Lizzo
Are you currently looking for research assistants? No
Number of Research Assistants Needed 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) English
Editing, Writing, and Media
Women's Studies
Communication
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Fully Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5 hours
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? During business hours
Overall Research Project Description In my dissertation, I apply C. C. Hendricks’ feminist rhetorical framework (2022)—critical subjectivity, critique of patriarchal gender roles, subversion of sexual norms, and circulation of feminist rhetorics—to Lizzo’s and Taylor Swift’s music and, in turn, music videos that are popularly considered to be feminist.

Upon looking at examples of the music videos and doing rhetorical analysis with Hendricks’ framework, I move into my argument that feminist rhetorical analysis expands our understanding of the extent to which Swift’s and Lizzo’s feminist rhetorical strategies align with or disrupt their self-proclaimed feminism. Ultimately, what makes their performances noteworthy are the signature way in which they express Swift’s “confessional ecriture feminine” and Lizzo’s “creative anger”—what I argue to be each woman’s trademark performative discourse, respectively. Swift’s “confessional ecriture feminine” and Lizzo’s “creative anger” embody the transformation of socially impermissible responses into channels for creative energy and radical change. In the words of Sara Ahmed, feminist theory—and, by extension, feminist rhetorics—is a “rope [. . .] to help you survive” (2017, 12). Just as feminisms and feminist rhetorics change and evolve with time, so do feminists’ and feminist rhetoricians’ survival strategies. One such survival strategy is Hélène Cixous’s ecriture feminine (1975), a woman’s way of writing with distinctive features that give meaning to her lived experiences—a distinct set of experiences separate from a man’s. These features offer ways for a woman to assume power and write her embodied self forward. Another strategy is Audre Lorde’s use of the erotic as power (1978). Lorde theorizes the erotic as a largely misunderstood and untapped resource and lifeforce that not only could help women find self-fulfillment, but also bring women—no matter their race, sexual orientation, or age—together. I see Swift’s “confessional ecriture feminine” and Lizzo’s “creative anger” as simultaneously expansions of Cixous’s and Lorde’s feminist strategies and one of the ways in which Swift and Lizzo practice activism through their art form and effect change.

My dissertation therefore addresses the need for more explicitly intersectional thinking about celebrity and feminisms. Swift’s and Lizzo’s unique social and political positions shape their sense of self and their experiences; therefore, it’s important to study the convergences and divergences of these two artists, not just in terms of gender but also in terms of race—Swift is a white woman, and Lizzo is a Black, self-proclaimed fat woman. This difference affects the feminisms they espouse. My dissertation considers the ways we might continue to explore the ways Swift’s and Lizzo’s particular feminism and feminist rhetorical strategies align with and disrupt the feminist movement itself within their music and music videos.
Research Tasks Locating and gathering sources; double-checking citations; proofreading
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: research skills in locating primary (i.e. interviews) and secondary (i.e. peer-reviewed) sources.

Recommended: attention to detail and good communication skills. Familiarity with MLA format.
Mentoring Philosophy An ethic of care guides my mentoring philosophy. I want to get to know my mentee as a human, not just as a mentee: What are my mentee’s current goals? What are my mentee’s goals for the future? What’s their favorite Taylor Swift song? (I’m a huge Swiftie.)

Furthermore, I create non-hierarchical power dynamics by supporting my mentee’s agency throughout the time that we work together. I want my mentee to meet their individual goals while also reaching the broader goals of the project. Throughout the project, my mentee and I will check in regularly to address any challenges we’re facing, make sure that we’re on the same page about the progress of our goals, and decide if we need to revisit and revise our goals for any reason. When I give feedback to my mentee, I will balance constructive criticism with praise, letting my mentee know their areas for improvement and their strengths. I likewise will seek feedback from my mentee: what do they want to stay the same? What would they like me to do differently? In the process, we will learn from each other.

Ultimately, I hope that this experience fosters growth in a wide range of skill sets—such as research, communication, and self-discipline—which can be used in my mentee’s future career.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Roundtable times and Zoom links Wednesday, September 6, 4:00-4:30 p.m., Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92514158709
Zoom Recording of Wednesday's meeting: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/VUD_k9GLUQWZTF4ADOccBlmIQeRPngbirW_z0iL4PFCFAe42bDtAr_cC2fNpWd2v.SMCOiJhdOUG5TVjr?startTime=1694030246000
Thursday, September 7, 2:00-2:30 p.m., Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93511184967
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?
Year 2023
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