Michele Byers

I have a BFA in Drama in Education from Concordia (1993), a BSW and MSW in clinical Social Work from McGill (1994, 1995), and a PhD in Sociology & Equity Studies in Education with a Specialization in Feminist Studies and Gender Issues from OISE / University of Toronto (2000). My thesis examined the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer through a feminist, performance studies lens. I was the first person to write their thesis on Buffy (one of my claims to fame).

In the last 24 years, I have written about A LOT of TV series—for example, Degrassi (all of them), Beverly Hills, 90210, Party of Five, The OC, Arrested Development, My So-Called Life, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Canadian Idol, Dexter, CSI, Roseanne, and Mindhunter)—and a lot of other things too (for example, queer middle grade novels, gated communities, collective biography, the murder of Reena Virk, television archives, third wave feminism, Sarah Jessica Parker, YidLifeCrisis, Suzie Gold, and disaster movies).

During those years, I've also taught lots of courses related to media, particularly in relation to gender, sexuality, and crime (together and separately), as well as courses in Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies (theory, methods, pop culture), and supervised many theses in Women and Gender Studies on topics too broad to list here.

Most recently, I've been writing about representations of serial killers, and representations of abortion. I'm working on two new(ish) projects (when I can find time): one is about the idea of unfinishedness, the other is about the practice and politics of re-watching. Bits of these projects can be found in my recent publications and teaching.

I've also been supporting an exciting project related to accessibility in graduate education, and thinking a lot about how make more explicit links between what goes on in the classroom and what students need in their "after school lives," and how to make creativity, play, and innovation more central aspects of research (for students and faculty).

Recently, with a groups of incredible colleagues, we've launched a community-building series of panels on different pop culture texts called #SMUvies (last year the texts were Yellowjackets, The Barbie Movie, and Star Wars (for May the 4th be with you)).

I'm also parent to two teenagers and two chocolate labs.