The Psychology of The Umbrella Academy: Open Call
The Umbrella Academy is a series of graphic novels from the minds of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. This NYT best seller turned Netflix series centers around the lives of Hargreeves family, children inexplicably born to random, unconnected women who first showed signs of pregnancy the day that they gave birth. After the death of their adopted patriarch, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, each of the extraordinary children reunite and unpack their unique inner demons and traumas.
The Netflix series has proved to be incredibly popular, with Season 3 attracting 124.53 million viewing hours during the week it premiered (Netflix, 2022). This, combined with the complexity of its numerous characters and story, make it especially compelling for both lay audiences and researchers.
In this volume, we will explore the psychological underpinnings of The Umbrella Academy, including, but not limited to, its narratives, primary protagonists, and secondary characters.
Possible themes and topics might include both elements of psychological illustrations within the show, as well as psychological reactions to the show. Potential topics include:
Psychological Representations Within The Umbrella Academy
- Allison, Transnational Adoption, and Racial Trauma
- Feminism and Women's Agency in Umbrella Academy
- Klaus, Sex and Gender
- Personal identity formation: From Vanya to Viktor
- Parasocial relationships: Five and Delores
- Sparrow Ben: Nature vs. Nurture
- Imperfect Heroes and Superpowers-the Moral Psychology of Umbrella Academy
Audience Responses to The Umbrella Academy
- Parasocial Bonds with the Hargreeves Siblings
- Revisiting Affective Disposition Theory with Likeable Antiheroes and Sometimes Unlikeable Protagonists
- Reflecting on Internal Realism in a Surrealist Environment
- The Umbrella Academy and Fandom
- The End of the Ride-Viewer Responses to the Show's End
Send an abstract (no more than 300 words) and your resume or CV to aferchaud@fsu.edu, no later than December 12, 2022.
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Arienne Ferchaud
Assistant Professor
Florida State University
Tallahassee FL
United States
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