Outer Space as Liminal Space: Folklore and Liminality on Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica

dc.contributor.advisorWojcik, Danielen_US
dc.contributor.authorFerrell, Erinen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-17T19:39:23Z
dc.date.available2014-06-17T19:39:23Z
dc.date.issued2014-06-17
dc.description.abstractThis thesis explores the intersection of folkloric ritual theory and popular culture, expressed in science fiction television. The three-part rite of passage model established by folklorist Arnold van Gennep and later expounded upon by anthropologist Victor Turner is used as an analytical tool to establish the themes and structures of two popular television programs, Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who. Both contain structures that resemble a rite of passage and exhibit a particular feature of the liminal stage of a rite of passage: ludic recombination. In the discussion of Battlestar Galactica, the plot arc of the entire series is analyzed as a rite of passage. On Doctor Who, the ritual model is examined as a structural component of the "companion" character. The structure and features of rites of passage allow science fiction narratives to explore sociocultural issues and existential themes in a meaningful way.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/17887
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregonen_US
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved.en_US
dc.subjectBattlestar Galacticaen_US
dc.subjectDoctor Whoen_US
dc.subjectFolkloreen_US
dc.subjectRitualen_US
dc.subjectScience fictionen_US
dc.subjectTelevisionen_US
dc.titleOuter Space as Liminal Space: Folklore and Liminality on Doctor Who and Battlestar Galacticaen_US
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineFolklore Programen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Oregonen_US
thesis.degree.levelmastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameM.A.en_US

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