Another original piece of fan fiction on this blog. ๐Ÿ™‚ Clonroise from Tumblr account @underneathoursouls wrote a Chobits fan fiction about the cyborg mermaid, with many Irish influences. The use of different fonts refers to inner monologue in this piece and the use of Irish will be translated at the end of the work and is written in italics.

An original fan fiction by Katelynn E Koontz, author of Wind Whisperer (2014).

At this moment, I am working on a chapter for an edited volume called “Deconstructing the Zombie: Cultural and Ideological Approaches”. It can hardly be a surprise that I am working on the composite character of the Zombie Mermaid. ๐Ÿ˜‰ As I am very keen on your feedback and suggestions (some more case studies, anyone?), I thought it would be nice to share some of my work-in-progress with you.

For Lapsody 2017, themed ‘The Bubble’, I designed a presentation/performance about the bubbling mermaid. The action of watching a movie can be described as being in a bubble, where the viewer is submerged in the story, the images, the music. But with the rise of Internet video, watching movies and films became far more accessible and open. This led to a more participatory culture, in which the viewer can become the (co-)creator. Pausing the You-Tube offers a whole range of new possibilities for professional artists and amateur crafters alike. Replaying a particular song over and over allows musicians and music teachers to arrange their own versions of the film score. The bubble busted and made space for a bubbling community. And this process repeats itself in the …

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One of the central themes in my PhD thesis will be an examination of the portrayal of mermaids in video games, through the lens of feminism. I started this at LUDO2015, where I presented a paper about the way music depicts the changing identity of The Little Mermaid in movies and video games. Presentation at Games BarCamp in Berlin, April 28-29 2017, made together with dr. Kim Dohlich. Presentation for LUDO2018 in Leipzig.

Hellen(ist)ic Mermaids between longing and belonging As many of the identity markers of various mermaids have been shaped in Greek antiquity, this remains a recurrent theme in my mermaid research. In various papers and presentations, I discuss the similarities and differences that can be found in the Greek, Roman and (other) Balkan traditions. My plan is to create an overview of original literary sources mentioning mermaids (with new original translations) to analyze in order to arrive at a definition (in order to differentiate mermaids from e.g. sirens). Focus will be on the the construction of the identities of the mermaid (the fluidity of her identity, the quest for an eternal soul and her struggle between longing and belonging to find her place), contextualized within a geographical and …

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Celtic Mermaids between longing and belonging Amidst all the subjects, one of the more common mythical creatures in the folklore of Europa and the Near East is the mermaid. From Lorelei to Rusalka, from Galatea to Undine: every culture presents an individual variant of the universal motive of the water-woman. This is also traceable in Celtic cultures. In various articles and presentations, I explore the Celtic mermaids’ relevance in today’s society. Special attention is for the use and useability of the word “hiraeth” and for the (gender) political issues that ancient mermaid tales can come up with in the context of the 21st century. Take for example Nแป‰ Dhomhnaill. In her poetry, she uses language as a tool to liberate the marginalized in contemporary Irish society. The …

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