california

Essays
The Empathetic Camera: Frank Norris and the Invention of Film Editing

The Empathetic Camera: Frank Norris and the Invention of Film Editing

At the heart of American author Frank Norris' gritty turn-of-the-century fiction lies an essential engagement with the everyday shock and violence of modernity. Henry Giardina explores how this focus, combined with his unique approach to storytelling, helped to pave the way for a truly filmic style. more

Comic Gold: The Easterner Goes West in Three Early American Comics

Comic Gold: The Easterner Goes West in Three Early American Comics

The California Gold Rush transformed the landscape and population of the United States. It also introduced a new figure into American life and the American imagination — the effete Eastern urbanite who travels to the Wild West in quest of his fortune. Alex Andriesse examines how this figure fares in three mid-nineteenth-century comic books. more

Splitting Hairs: Chinese Immigrants, the Queue, and the Boundaries of Political Citizenship

Splitting Hairs: Chinese Immigrants, the Queue, and the Boundaries of Political Citizenship

As Chinese immigration to California accelerated across the 19th century, the hairstyle known as the queue — a long, braided pony tail — became the subject of white Americans’ fascination, disgust, and legal regulation. Sarah Gold McBride explores why hair served as an index of political subjecthood, and how the queue exposed cracks in American norms regarding gender, economy, and citizenship. more