Meet Erik Stanley, Area Chair for SWPACA’s Digital & Analog Cultures!
💻 Who are you and what do you do?
I am an associate professor of cultural anthropology at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) in Portales, New Mexico.
💻 What are your current research interests?
My major anthropological research focus is a long-term ethnographic study of Maya chocolate farmers in southern Belize. I also have ongoing research on Popular Culture, focused on the interface between science and science fiction, student pedagogy and museums, and representations of Indigenous board games in a digital age.
💻 What year was your first SWPACA, and how did you get involved?
My first year at SWPACA was 2018, my first year as an assistant professor. I was invited to join a panel on “American West: Dystopias” with faculty from the department of Languages and Literature at ENMU. My presentation was on Embodied Machine Consciousness in Westworld.”
It was such a great and welcoming experience; I have been back every year since.
💻 Why Digital & Analog Cultures?
Digital & Analog Cultures is a reimagining of the Computer Cultures section which previously existed at SWPACA. In many ways, I think the previous incarnation of this section was hampered by the idea of “computer culture” as probably both too ubiquitous and at the same time, having an outdated (if mistaken) association with a pre/early internet era. Broadening the area to “digital and analog studies” allows for scholars to focus on the ways that the medium of popular culture affects our relationship with content, aesthetics and society. From this perspective, Digital and Analog Cultures explore the values, beliefs, behaviors, creative application, methodologies and/or technologies that shape the way people interact with digital pasts, presents and futures as well as the ongoing relevance (and often resurgence) of analog media in a digital age.
💻 For Digital & Analog Cultures newcomers, what is a recommendation to watch or look into?
Below are a few sources to help people get a feel for the area of Analog and Digital studies:
- The first is an overview of the differences between analog and digital, as well as the interface between them.
- The second is a video about the resurgence of analog technologies in a digital age.
- The third is a short news report about a store specializing in analog technologies. This is a good
example of a topical case study for this section.
💻 Your current pop culture passions or hobbies?
I have two small children, so one of my current pop culture hobbies is reliving the cartoons and
toys of my 1980s childhood with them.
Presently, I run a “fantasy Saturday Night Live” league (Think fantasy football, except with live
comedy instead of sports).
I also have far too many vinyl records. I used to work in a used record store in West Virginia
before becoming a professor (I actually did my phone interview for my current position at ENMU
while sorting stacks of records at the store.)
📢 Join Erik and the Humor & Comedy in Popular Culture community at #SWPACA25! Submit your proposal to SWPACA’s new Conference Portal by October 31!