Advanced Research Seminar “Magazine Studies”

January 7, 14 & 21, 2025
P 109a (Philosophicum)
6:15–7:45pm

We cordially invite anyone interested in Magazine Studies to join one or all upcoming sessions of our Advanced Research Seminar on the topic. Please find below the full schedule and abstracts of the students’ presentations:

January 7

Kevin Lömker
“United Across the Atlantic Ocean and the Calumet River: The Ujedinjeno Srpstvo – United Serbians Magazine as an Indicator of Serbian American Identity, 1916-1940”

Most ethnic Serbs who migrated to the United States between the 1880s and 1910s originated from territories outside of the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro. Their homes were within the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires. Political mistreatment and economic deprivation resulted in emigration across the Atlantic Ocean. Many of them settled in the broader Chicago region, where most found employment in heavy industries. Serbian communities across the United States began to publish newspapers and periodicals. The Ujedinjeno Srpstvo = United Serbian was such a publication. As a weekly broadsheet, it began publication in Chicago in 1906. It informed about politics and society in Chicago, the United, States, and Serbia/Yugoslavia. Information about Serbian cultural life and the adoption to America are part of the amalgamative function which the title of the periodical proposes.

The spheres to which this unification of the Serbian people extended are a product and catalyst of its times. Certainly, the Serbs of Chicago, but also communities throughout the United States were united in the adaption processes in their host country. However, the American Serbs were concerned of the fates and developments of their brethren in the Balkans. The emergence of Yugoslavia achieved the aim of uniting the Serbs in a common state, and from thereon, bonds of unity existed with the other South Slavic ethnicities on both sides of the ocean. The multiplicity in which the concepts of identities evolved make it necessary to determine the connection between the aspects of unity and identity, for one can only unite with (ethnic) communities if one identifies as a part of a respective group.

Therefore, an analysis of the Ujedinjeno Srpstvo = United Serbians periodical will examine the identities of the Serbian community of Chicago in its initial decades. The period of 1916–1940 with significant developments for the United States and Serbia/Yugoslavia offers the potential for inquiries into changes and continuities in identification patterns in an intergenerational realm. Scholarship on this subject is limited. An outline of the organization of Chicago Serbs has been attempted, but focuses on prominent individuals. Other works have focused on processes of acculturation and maintenance of ethnic customs. However, no extensive consideration of the periodical contents has been made. The independence of the periodical and the mirror function of newspapers of public sentiment evince that such analysis can be fruitful.

A synthesis of archival research, representative periodical analysis, and embedment in a multidisciplinary construct of theories aids in the determination of ethnic identities of Chicago area Serbs in its beginnings. The factors which contributed to continuities and changes thereof are analyzed under consideration of political, economic, and societal developments alongside cultural content, advertisements, and the design and structure of the periodical. These results are evaluated with criteria of various identity and media theories. The insights into where the Serbian community of Chicago positioned itself on the spectrum of identities between Serbian, Yugoslav, and American at different times and throughout its generations contribute to ethnic and transnational studies, and moreover plead a case for the value of systematic employment of periodicals as an important contemporary source for historical inquiries.

Samira Schwarz
“‘Feel your city’: The Importance and Uniqueness of City Magazines like sensor for Urban Communities”

City magazines can be found anywhere, from restaurants, stores, city halls, and cultural institutions. Their wide thematic range, which is only restricted by local aspects, makes them a special form of magazine. This paper will explore the importance of city magazines for urban communities using the example of the city magazine sensor Wiesbaden. sensor is the largest city magazine in the Rhine-Main area, distributed by VRM, which has become a significant cultural and informational institution. Founded in 2012, sensor publishes ten issues per year, including double editions for July/August and December/January, with 21,000 monthly copies. The broad audience ranges from young families, and creatives, to workaholics, and academics aged 25 to 60. Every issue serves as a source of local trends, gossip, and events, with a focus on design, layout, and photography. This eye for detail supports the perception of a high-quality magazine, even though it is not expensive and glossy.

Through an interview with the chief editor, the paper will discuss sensor’s editorial philosophy, highlighting the magazine’s contribution to making residents feel connected. By examining the importance of city magazines, their unique business model, and the certain construction of a sensor issue, this paper will show how sensor creates a sense of belonging by giving a voice to diverse groups within the urban community. By making every resident feel seen, heard, and represented, sensor applies the concept of “feeling your city” and enriches Wiesbaden’s cultural landscape.

January 14

Norhan Mohamed
“Eco-Colonial Narratives: Exoticism and Environmentalism in The Sphinx and It’s Freezing in LA!“

This paper will explore the relationship between colonialism and ecology by comparing historical and contemporary perspectives through serialized media. Using The Sphinx, a British colonial magazine in Egypt, and the article “Colonialism, Greenwashing, and Palestine” from It’s Freezing in LA!, I will analyze how environmental narratives have been utilized to justify and sustain colonial rule. Advertisements in The Sphinx, such as those for irrigation projects (Vol. 29, No. 472, 1922) and tourism that frame Egypt as an exotic spectacle for British leisure, illustrate how colonial powers commodified natural resources and exoticized local culture to legitimize domination. In contrast, It’s Freezing in LA! critiques modern greenwashing practices, such as Israeli afforestation projects, as extensions of settler colonialism in Palestine. Both examples highlight the continuities in employing ecological and cultural framing to assert control, emphasizing the role of media in either shaping or subverting the colonial gaze and sustaining environmental exploitation over time.

Christine Zuber
“Communicating Climate Complexity: The Interplay of Visuals, Text, and Themes in It’s Freezing in LA!”

Understanding climate change is challenging due to its gradual progression, global scale, and interrelated effects. Therefore, effective communication is essential to foster public awareness and action. The magazine It’s Freezing in LA! bridges the unapproachability of climate change by blending visual, textual, and thematic elements into cohesive narratives. Consistent layouts guide readers, while diverse articles—ranging from California wildfires to political strategies and systemic racism—highlight the interconnectedness of politics, economics, science, and social issues, encouraging readers to consider solutions from multiple angles. The editors’ active commentary and inclusive tone foster dialogue and inspire a shared sense of purpose.

January 21

Shahinaz Sabra
“Printing the Fight: The Biskinik Newspaper as a Medium for Cultural Heritage, Language Preservation, and Environmental Advocacy”

This paper will examine Biskinik, the newspaper of the Choctaw Nation as an important media object of cultural heritage preservation, language revitalization, and environmental advocacy. Positioned at the crossroads between tradition and modernity, Biskinik illustrates the vital function that Indigenous media plays in ensuring cultural resilience and challenging settler-colonial narratives. Indeed, Biskinik does not solely serve as a news outlet, but it also transcends this function and constitutes one of the remaining cultural bastions, as it fosters Choctaw identity and sovereignty. The latter point is reflected in the portrayal of a mixture of Choctaw tradition, values, stories and cultural heritage via modern media techniques, formats and the address of contemporary issues such as environmental protection.

Ayishat Maria Aluko
“Ebony Magazine and the Art of the Cover: A Visual Narrative of Black Identity”

Magazines have long served as cultural touchstones, shaping public opinion and reflecting societal values through their curated content and visuals. Since its founding in 1945, Ebony magazine has been a cornerstone of Black American media, offering a platform to celebrate Black culture, achievements, and resilience. With its striking covers and engaging content, the magazine became a visual and cultural landmark, shaping and reflecting perceptions of Black identity for generations. Its covers serve as powerful reflections of societal shifts and evolving narratives within the Black community, making them a focal point for understanding both the magazine’s impact and broader cultural trends.

This paper examines the evolution of Ebony magazine covers from the 1960s onward, a period marked by profound social and political transformation in the United States. During this time, the magazine began to feature images that moved beyond aspirational middle-class respectability to embrace a more unapologetic and non-white-centered celebration of Blackness.

Iconic figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X, but also prominent Black men and women in the music and entertainment industry, came to the forefront, signaling shifts in how African Americans were represented and perceived. By analyzing recurring themes such as beauty,power, and cultural pride, this paper explores how Ebony responded to and shapes its readership’s evolving identity. It also considers the magazine’s position in a predominantly white media landscape, where it offered an alternative to mainstream representations that often excluded or marginalized Black voices. Through a close examination of selected covers, I highlight Ebony’s role as both a cultural artifact and a vehicle for empowerment. I will underscore the magazine’s lasting significance in documenting the triumphs, challenges, and resilience of the Black American experience, providing valuable insights into the interplay between media and identity.

Jill Reuter
“SLAM (Cover 32 with Allen Iverson): The Cover’s Influence on NBA Culture & the Impact of Powerful Magazine Covers in General”

The basketball magazine SLAM has recently been added to the NBA Hall of Fame. This proves the importance of the magazine for the NBA and basketball universe. The magazine reports on all things basketball. Since the late 1990s it also features stories about the WNBA. While the sport is at the center of the magazine, articles about stories off the court are also part of the magazine’s content. For years, now, the sport is closely intertwined with a certain culture, especially the hip-hop culture. The 1990s had a particularly strong impact on this relationship between basketball and hip-hop culture. This is why I want to analyze one particular SLAM cover that features Allen Iverson. I will examine the cover of the 32^nd issue.

The cover star of this issue, Allen Iverson, has since retired from professional basketball, but his influence is still present. His fashion, hairstyles, jewelry, etc. have shaped much of how we think about the sport, especially of the NBA in the 1990s. This particular cover is not only influential because of who it features. The retro-style of the cover has also played a huge role in it becoming iconic. What interests me is how one magazine cover can have this much cultural impact. Therefore, I will examine the importance and influence of magazine covers using this cover as a case study.

For further information or questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheiding.