Today’s post was written by Siena Andrews, a senior at Loyola Marymount University majoring in African American studies, with a minor in journalism. Siena works on the outreach and engagement team at William H. Hannon Library.
The fifth Faculty Pub Night of the 2024-25 season occurred Tuesday, Jan. 28, spotlighting Gloria Shin’s book “Elizabeth Taylor: Icon of American Empire.” The evening revealed not just an academic analysis of a Hollywood icon, but also Shin’s profound understanding of how star power intersects with cultural and political movements.
Gloria Shin, Ph.D., an instructor in Film, TV and Media Studies at Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television, brings a decade of expertise to her analysis of Elizabeth Taylor. Her journey to writing about Taylor began with what she described as a common misconception – viewing Taylor simply as a hyper-feminine figure in Hollywood’s golden age. However, as Shin delved deeper into Taylor’s career and public persona, she discovered a complex figure who challenged and shaped American cultural identity during pivotal decades of the 20th century.
During the Q&A, moderated by Associate Professor Anupama Prahala, Shin shared her initial fascination with Taylor’s ability to transcend traditional Hollywood norms. Her research revealed Taylor’s unique position as both a product and challenger in the film industry. This duality became a central theme in Shin’s analysis, leading her to explore how Taylor’s image evolved alongside major social and political movements.
Shin’s academic interest in Taylor was particularly piqued by the lack of serious critical analysis of the star’s cultural significance. While much had been written about Taylor’s personal life and films, Shin noticed a gap in understanding how Taylor’s career paralleled and influenced American power dynamics during the civil rights movement, postcolonialism, and the Cold War. This observation became the foundation for her groundbreaking book.
The evening’s discussion revealed how Shin’s expertise in stardom and celebrity culture provided a unique lens through which to view Taylor’s career. As an expert who has designed and taught courses on American independent film and Asian cinemas, Shin brought a global perspective to Taylor’s significance. She argued that beautiful women stars like Taylor represent an elite professional labor class whose influence extends beyond cinema, connecting to broader patterns of gender representation and global visual culture.
In her research, Shin discovered that Taylor’s impact was most profound during times of significant social change. She explained how Taylor’s starring role in “Cleopatra,” for which she earned an unprecedented $14 million, coincided with global decolonization movements. This timing, Shin argued, made Taylor’s portrayal of an Egyptian queen particularly significant in discussions of race, power, and representation.
The author’s connection to her subject deepened as she uncovered Taylor’s business ventures. Shin highlighted how Taylor broke new ground by negotiating her own contracts and launching her successful fragrance lines “Passion” and “White Diamond.” “She was iconic,” Shin noted, explaining how Taylor’s understanding of her own worth and image helped establish new paradigms for celebrity entrepreneurship.
What particularly fascinated Shin was Taylor’s later transformation into an AIDS activist. Through her research, Shin found that this phase of Taylor’s life demonstrated how star power could be redirected toward humanitarian causes. She explained how Taylor’s activism represented a new kind of public figure – one who used their celebrity status to secure federal funding and raise awareness for critical social issues.
Throughout the evening, Shin shared how her perspective on Taylor evolved from seeing her as merely a glamorous figure to understanding her as a cognitive map of American cultural history. She explained that Taylor’s career trajectory – from child star to global icon to activist – provided a unique lens through which to view changes in American society and its global influence.
The presentation concluded with Shin reflecting on why Taylor remains relevant to contemporary discussions of celebrity culture and social influence. She argued that Taylor created the blueprint for how beautiful women in entertainment could combine glamour with business acumen and social consciousness, a model that continues to influence celebrity culture today.
This Faculty Pub Night at the William H. Hannon Library demonstrated how academic research can illuminate the complex relationships between popular culture, political power, and social change. Through Shin’s meticulous research and passionate presentation, attendees gained a deeper understanding of both Elizabeth Taylor’s significance and the broader implications of celebrity influence on American culture.