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Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On An Academic Conversation

Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On An Academic Conversation

By: Karin Merx and Elizabeth Amisu
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 Dynamic, Influential, Inclusive, Cultural, Explorative, Unique© 2015 - 2023 Copyright The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies | Elizabeth Amisu and Karin Merx Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • Episode 81 The Road To KingVention

    Episode 81 The Road To KingVention
    May 26 2025
    In this episode, Karin and Elizabeth talk about their experiences as exhibitors on KingVention ranging from 2016 till 2025. They discuss the first event and how fantastic that was with the big Dangerous Cover, the people they interviewed and remember Nicole, the student who did the course Michael Jackson Studies and who passed away not very long after. We dedicate this episode to her. We go into 2022 when Elizabeth was at the event, 2023 and 2025 where we represented the Journal, sold and signed the hardback and the paperback version of The Dangerous Philosophies. This year we did two talks. One about AI and Michael Jackson together with The Big MJ Debate and a MJDLO about the academic void: How to preserve Michael Jackson's Legacy and how Fans can Contribute. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. "Episode 81 – The Road To KingVention" Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 4 (2025). Published electronically 26/05/25. https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/podcasts/episode-81-the-road-to-kingvention. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies Episode 81 - The Road To KingVentionBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’. Find out more about Karin here. Our References and Where to Easily Find Them: MJDLO, MJAS Exclusive: Live from Kingvention 2016, https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/episode-15/ Elizabeth Amisu, 2023 Kingvention Speech – ‘An Introduction to Michael Jackson Academic Studies’: https://youtu.be/VlJknkJsk68 Elizabeth Amisu, Transcription of the 2023 Speech - An Introduction to Michael Jackson Academic Studies
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    40 mins
  • Episode 80 – The Staging of a Media Trial

    Episode 80 – The Staging of a Media Trial
    Apr 21 2025
    In this episode Elizabeth and Karin discuss the essay by Philipp Dominik Keidl where he explores how Michael Jackson fans responded to the sexual abuse allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland. The focus is on a phenomenon Keidl terms "forensic fandom," where fans produce counter-documentaries and online content to defend Jackson's reputation by discrediting his accusers. These fan-made videos, particularly those associated with The Michael Jackson Innocence Project (MJIP), serve as a form of "media tribunal." The essay argues that these efforts are less about seeking truth and more about reinforcing myths that undermine allegations of sexual abuse, ultimately contributing to a toxic fan culture that silences victims and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. "Episode 80 – The staging of a Media Trial" Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 2 (2025). Published electronically 21/04/25. http://michaeljacksonstudies.org/episode-80-the-staging-of-a-Media-Trial. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies Episode 80 - The Staging of a Media TrialBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’. Find out more about Karin here. Our References and Where to Easily Find Them: Philipp Dominik Keidl, "The Fans of Michael Jackson v Wade Robson and James Safechuck": Forensic Fandom and the Staging of a Media Tribunal, American Behavioural Scientist 2022, vol.66(8) (Sage Publications, 2022).
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    50 mins
  • Episode 79 – Consuming Passions

    Episode 79 – Consuming Passions
    Mar 21 2025
    In the second part of the book review Unfinished Business by Judith Hamera, Elizabeth and Karin discuss how Hamera writes about Consuming Passions, Wasted Efforts and Michael Jackson's Financial Melodramas. One of the important questions they ask is why using Michael Jackson and compare his dancing and financial gains and losses as deindustrialised. They ask if using only two documentaries, of which one is from Bashir -Living With Michael Jackson - and the other, This Is It, are reliable for academic research? REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. "Episode 79 – Consuming Passions." Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 1 (2025). Published electronically 21/02/25. http://michaeljacksonstudies.org/the-labours-of-michael-jackson/. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies Episode 79 - Consuming PassionsBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’. Find out more about Karin here. Our References and Where to Easily Find Them Judith Hamera, Unfinished Business: Michael Jackson, Detroit, and the Figural Economy of American Deindustrialization (2017): https://amzn.to/416ZmoW
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    49 mins
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I have recently discovered these podcasts and journal and I’m hooked. It’s like observing and deepening the conversations I’ve been having with myself over the past 30+years (but more rounded and robust). Almost like I’m listening to friends, who think deeply, socially and critically about Michael and his experiences and position in the world.

If you’re a fan of Michael’s or just interested in popular culture, or critical race theory, or music, or business or anything - take a listen

Thank you to the creators and contributors. Your time and insights are appreciated.

Enlightening & thought provoking

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