“All they want to be is popstars and footballers”?

Complicating the debates on celebrity and youth aspirations

Dr Laura HarveyBrunel University

THE PROJECT

Heather Mendick (Brunel), Kim Allen (Manchester Metropolitan) and Laura Harvey (Brunel)

Economic and Social Research Council Funded

September 2012 – May 2014

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What discourses (powerful and conflicting social stories) of aspiration circulate in celebrity representations?

How do young people take-up these discourses in talking about their own aspirations?

How do discourses of aspiration in celebrity and young people’s take-up of these relate to social class and gender?

DATA COLLECTION

24 Group interviews with 6 pupils each (Year 10 and Year 12)

Follow up individual interviews with 8 pupils per school

Online forum – collective discussion of celebrity

12 celebrity case studies

6 secondary schools (11-18) in England, rural and urban, reflective of local demographics

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

Participants critically negotiate celebrity

Talk about celebrity is more than just talk about celebrity

‘Deserving’ vs ‘undeserving’ celebrities

Affective economies of disgust and fandom

NICKI MINAJ

Mike (F)You could fit all the real parts of Nicki Minaj into a drawer, a drawer approximately that big. She’s just like the

biggest fakest walking talking Barbie, and also she tries to be Lady Gaga which annoys me. Um. She’s just, she’s just, argh, if I saw her I would actually hit her. With a brick. [laughter]

KATIE PRICEParis This is probably gonna sound really bad, but I quite like Katie Price.

I Yeah?

Paris I know a lot of people don’t like her [slightly laughing], because of what she does and stuff, but I think she’s quite a good mum. And even though she is... does like topless modelling, and stuff, I still think that what she does is good. [I: yeah] And she’s perceived in the press to be quite a bad person, and I don’t really think she is.

I Yeah. Why do you think she’s perceived to be a bad person?

Paris ‘Cos of like her party life, and like how she goes out and parties, but everyone goes out and parties. Like do you know what I mean, they’re still... [laughing] they’re still human, aren’t they? Do you know what I mean?

KATIE PRICE

I Who doesn't work, for their

fame?

Tim Katie Price.

Penelope Yes she does. She models.

Tim Well I don't know.

KATIE PRICE

KATIE PRICE

KEEP IN TOUCH

@CelebYouthUK

CelebYouth UK