The Affordances of Popular Press Publications

As my sabbatical ends and I enter the summer, I have been doing a little reflection on how my sabbatical went. It had its ups and downs as far as the rest-productivity balance goes, but overall it was good. Later this summer I might write a reflection on my experience overall, but we will see. For now I want to say a little about one of my goals during sabbatical which I was fortunately able to make good on: writing more popular press publications. 

When I first started writing popular press essays in 2018, I wanted them to aid larger academic publications I would eventually or potentially write. Since then, and particularly during recent reflections on my sabbatical, I have come to view those essays, collectively, as serving additional functions. Functions that may be useful for other academics who operate or are considering operating in this space. Some have a build function, some have a simmer function, and some have a test function.

Build

When I wrote my Wakanda and viewpoint diversity essay in 2018, I knew more was going to come from it. I was in the process of writing a larger manuscript related to the ideas in the essay, a manuscript that eventually turned into a 2019 book chapter and a 2021 journal article. So I consider this essay as serving a build function, a space for me to work through certain foundational ideas and arguments that I know I will or am in the process of developing for more academic outlets. Ideas and arguments that, while initially centered on the Black Panther (2018) film, also made their way into more recent publications (2023 and 2024 book chapters) focusing more on Black Panther comics or comics featuring Black Panther. My other 2018 essay on superheroes, principles, and policies served a similar function, particularly when it comes to my journal articles on Luke Cage (2023) and Lucas Bishop (2024), as well as the abovementioned 2024 book chapter. Likewise for my 2020 essay on children, superheroes, and narratives and the eventual 2023 journal article on superhero media and children’s moral understanding. 

Simmer

Some popular press essays serve a different function. Sometimes, I am really interested in an idea, but I do not know where exactly I want to take it if I take it further at all. These essays explore an idea currently animating my thinking in some area, and I want to keep that idea in my thought space long enough for me to decide the next steps. These essays thus serve a simmer function. Examples include my recent essays on (1) means-ends relations, moral development, and The Penguin television series, and (2) parental legacies, moral development, and the Rotten Legacy television series.  I am considering turning the ideas in the latter into a manuscript on Invincible, but time will tell.

Test

Lastly, there are essays I write that do not serve the other two functions, and primarily focus on things I am focusing on at the moment. Maybe because my discipline is psychology, these essays tend to be written for outlets focused on the relationship between theological reflection and popular culture, such as Pop Culture and Theology and Think Christian. I view these essays as serving a test function, where there is a focal idea I am just putting out there to see if it sticks, turns into something substantive, etc. Examples include my essays on (1) justice and relationships in Avengers: Endgame and (2) authority and accountability in The Boys.

For those who write or are considering writing for popular press outlets, I hope you find these categories useful!