ND Expert: Will ‘Brat Girl Summer’ translate into an autumn of Democratic victories? ‘It’s anybody’s guess’
In the past three days, people on social media have embraced British pop star Charli XCX’s online pronouncement that “Kamala IS brat.”
According to Sara Marcus, an assistant professor of English at the University of Notre Dame and author of “Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution,” that translates to a declaration that Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s presumptive new nominee for president, embodies the sort of messy, complicated, casual womanhood that the singer’s recent album, “Brat,” depicts and celebrates in a series of infectious club anthems.
Harris is credible as a “brat,” Marcus said, because “she does slip into a striking informality of address at times — whether it’s her robust, unguarded laughter or her tendency to speak off-the-cuff.”
“These elements, which had been seen as potential liabilities, and had in some cases actually been wielded as Republican opposition research to discredit her, are instead turning out to be selling points,” Marcus noted. “Young people have grown weary of meticulously fine-tuning their social media presence and of watching a stream of online influencers broadcasting seemingly perfect lives. They crave celebrities who are able to project that elusive quality of ‘authenticity.’”
In light of this, Marcus added, it’s seen as a strength, not a weakness, that Harris doesn’t fit the age-old mold of the airbrushed, focus-grouped politician.
“This shouldn’t be so surprising. After all, it is Donald Trump’s own refusal to fit that mold that has accounted for much of his political success,” she said. “His supporters appreciate that he is unfiltered, that he says what’s on his mind. It is surprising, though, that the Democrats took so long to catch up with the times.
“What happens now? Will the ‘Brat Girl Summer’ translate into an autumn of Democratic victories, or will the ‘authenticity’ engine run out of fuel? It’s anybody’s guess.”
Contact: Carrie Gates, associate director of media relations, 574-993-9220, c.gates@nd.edu
Latest Faculty & Staff
- Law School Professor Derek Muller joins CNN as contributor for 2024 presidential electionNationally recognized election law scholar Derek T. Muller, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School, has joined CNN as a contributor for the 2024 election cycle to provide his perspective and context to the network’s coverage of the presidential race.
- In memoriam: Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., renowned Notre Dame theologian, father of ‘liberation theology’Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., professor emeritus of theology at Notre Dame and widely regarded as the “father of liberation theology,” died Tuesday (Oct. 22) in Lima, Peru. He was 96.
- Notre Dame Forum to present ‘Fr. TED Talks’ on Catholic social tradition, featuring President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., and Dr. Jim O’ConnellHonoring the legacy of legendary University of Notre Dame President Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., the 2024-25 Notre Dame Forum will host “Fr. TED Talks: Ideas from the Catholic Social Tradition That We Find Inspiring,” a two-night festival on Oct. 28 and 29.
- Democrats and Republicans agree on one thing: Censoring hate speechIn an era of intense polarization, Democrats and Republicans have historically, and mistakenly, believed that members of the other party prioritize protecting certain types or victims of hate speech over others based on stereotypes or their affiliation with those potentially vulnerable groups. New research from the University of Notre Dame, however, revealed that partisans generally agree on what to censor when it comes to the target, source and severity of hate speech.
- ND Expert: Han Kang, first Korean writer to win Nobel Prize in literature, ‘has irrevocably changed the landscape’On Oct. 10, the Nobel Prize in literature was awarded to Han Kang, the first Asian woman writer and the first Korean writer to win the prize. According to Hayun Cho, an assistant professor of Korean literature and popular culture at the University of Notre Dame, Han’s win is moving for many, including for readers of the Korean diaspora.
- Economist Kirk Doran wins UK’s Panmure House Prize honoring interdisciplinary researchKirk Doran, an associate professor in the Department of Economics at Notre Dame, has won the 2024 Adam Smith Panmure House Prize. The prize, named after the forefather of economics, celebrates those who embody Smith’s empiricism and long-term interdisciplinary thinking in their research.
