October 28, 2015

Theme: Internet
It’s no secret the internet is challenging the traditional ways we have lead our lives – ensuring we remain on our toes at all times and questioning the foundations on which we’ve always come to rest. Which is why Playboy Magazine’s recent change to its traditional content shouldn’t surprise anyone.

That the internet can make a behemoth like Playboy re-evaluate its audience and restructure its content additionally isn’t shocking when you consider the amount of “material” – material far more graphic than anything Playboy could ever print – available on the internet. It’s even led some to claim the internet was created to serve this very desire. Here are some puppets to help explain.

“Normal people don’t sit at home and look at porn on the internet,” Kate Monster argues. But some are looking to redefine this idea, and push us to explore those specific things we finding titillating on the internet. The internet asks us to reframe and re-imagine the act of looking. Today there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a bibliophile looking for some exciting new display options or a grad student in the throws of wanderlust, late-night web surfing for cabins  in which to finish your readings.
      
For a look at some scholarships directly related to the internet and pornography, check out the research of Allegra W. Smith.
Amanda Hill is an artist, scholar, educator, and Ph.D. student at the University of Central Florida. Her research and creative activities span many platforms: digital media, writing, and performance. She uses the arts to inspire artistry and creative voice in individuals and diverse populations in an effort to bring forth personal community stories to advance the collective of voices and community histories present in the world. Her current research envisions how Digital Storytelling can help citizens create and share personal narratives within their communities. Additionally, Amanda is an accomplished writer. Her plays, Dancing and One were recently honored with readings at One Theatre World in Cleveland and the ASSITEJ International Meeting in Linz, Austria. She has presented at Natational an International conferences on the topics of theatre, digital storytelling, transmedia storytelling, education, and advocacy, and has published a book chapter and articles about those topics as well. Amanda also works actively with many diverse populations leading educational workshops, residencies, and camps.