Join us for PhD candidate Gerrit Krueper’s Final Oral Defence. Gerrit is the first student to reach this milestone in the PhD program in Cinema and Media Studies, established in 2019. This event is free and open to the public.
The Dialectical Stream: A New Media Theory of Live Streaming and its Political and Social Potentials
Hasan Piker, online streamer, YouTuber, & political commentator
This dissertation explores the potential of live streaming platforms like Twitch to promote political engagement and social change. It argues that live streamers, such as political commentator Hasan Piker, can create a space for interactive and participatory political discourse. This space allows for the exchange of ideas, challenging mainstream narratives, and mobilizing support for progressive causes. The study draws on philosophical concepts to understand how live streaming can shape political participation and class awareness. It also examines the dynamics of labor, gender, and identity within the live streaming sphere. Ultimately, the research highlights the transformative power of live streaming in shaping contemporary political discourse and social activism.
About Gerrit
Originally from Cologne, Germany, Gerrit Krueper is a Ph.D. Candidate in Cinema and Media Studies at UBC. Specializing in New Media Studies, his research interrogates the socio-political implications of live streaming platforms and media audiences, drawing upon Marxist frameworks to critique paradigms of audience engagement and agency. His work extends to the study of video games, focusing on themes of play, leisure, and anti-work as ideological constructs in capitalism.
