Ellen Ripley of the Alien Quadrilogy has become an iconic female figure in the male dominated genre of science fictioction/horror since her first appearance in 1979. This collection offers readers varied interpretations of Ripley that are grounded in the social context and theoretical perspectives that were dominant prior to and during the time the films were released. Specifically, the rise of Second Wave Feminism-and the backlash against it-provides a backdrop for this collection. Is Ripley a feminist hero? A patriarchal woman and mother? Does she embody de Beavoir's myth of the feminine? Does she exhibit sexual agency? Does she offer us a glimpse of individual autonomy that moves away from dichotomous gender roles? These are the primary questions explored in this collection. While the focus is clearly on Ripley, the arguments go beyond the confines of the films by examining the relationship between the individual and society in which both are product and producer of the other, and illustrate that social artifacts such as film can provide insights into the lived experiences of our world. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds including Literature, Cinema Studies, Gender and Women's Studies, Philosophy, Sociology, Theatre History, and reside in Canada and the United States. They represent a range from junior to senior scholars. While science fiction is clearly an interest of all these individuals, it is not the primary area of research for most of them. By bringing voices from multiple disciplines into the discussion about Ripley, this collection offers readers perspectives that deviate from and yet complement the current trend in film criticism and, thus, contributes to opening up discussions about such characters and the genre to a wider audience.
About the Author: Elizabeth Graham is a sociologist by training and teaches Sociology and Gender and Women's Studies at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada. She is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Division of the American Society for Aesthetic. Her background is in the areas of women's health and women's social experiences, with a theoretical grounding in Symbolic Interactionism and Second Wave Feminism. In recent years, her work has moved more generally into the area of individuals' sense of self and experience. Her interest in this area is the common theme that runs through her work. In addition to this collection, she is currently conducting research on adult participation in Taekwondo and is a co-investigator for a study designed to explore the expectations and experiences of graduate students and new faculty in Canada. These studies involve explorations of experience, expectations, sense of self, and how they are interconnected within a given social context. It is her interest in this interconnection along with her love of science fiction that was the starting point for this collection.