Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On

Episode 96 – Birthday Special, Invincible

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin celebrate Michael Jackson’s Birthday through his last album, Invincible. They conclude that it shouldn’t be dismissed but should be listened to carefully. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 96 – Birthday Special, Invincible, the Album Worth Listening to ” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, […] Source

Episode 95 – The Dangerous Philosophies Part 4

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss Chapter 4 of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife, The Narrative in Michael Jackson’s Bad REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 95 – The Dangerous Philosophies Part 4” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 14 no. 1 […] Source

Episode 94 The Dangerous Philosophies Part 3

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss chapter 3 of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife, ‘On Michael Jackson’s Dancing the Dream.’ REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 94 – The Dangerous Philosophies Part 3” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 14 […] Source

Episode 93 The Dangerous Philosophies Part 2

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin continue with the series about The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. This time, they discuss Chapter 2: A Critical Survey of Michael Jackson Studies REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 93 – The Dangerous Philosophies Part 2” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives […] Source

Episode 92 – KingVention Special

Abstract: In this episode, Karin and Elizabeth discuss their experiences at Kingvention, a Michael Jackson fan convention. Karin explained her decision to skip this year’s convention due to ethical concerns about AI-generated content using Michael Jackson’s art and voice, comparing it to desecrating works by Shakespeare or Rembrandt. Elizabeth shared her experience, where she sold […] Source

Episode 91 – The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson Part 1

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin start with a series about The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. They go through it chapter by chapter. They start with the preamble, forewords, the Selected Chronology and Chapter 1: Introduction: Reading, Writing, and Rewriting. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth […] Source

Episode 90 – An Academic Perspective on the Michael Biopic

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss the biopic Michael in relation to cinematography, narratives, acting, performance and more. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 90 – An Academic Perspective on the Michael Biopic” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 13 no. 3 (2026). Published electronically 24/04/26. https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/episode-90-an-academic-perspective-on-the-michael-biopic The Journal of Michael […] Source

Episode 89 – How to Write an Academic Book Review

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss how to write an academic book review in a rigorous manner. They discuss this based on the recent academic book review Karin wrote of Michael Jackson’s Radical Aesthetic by Willa Stillwater. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 89 – How to Write an Academic Book […] Source

Episode 88 – Past-Present-Future Book 8

Abstract: In this episode, Karin and Elizabeth go back to last year, discuss the present and give some insight into the future. We discuss the essays, podcast episodes and the columns published in the past year. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 88 – Past, Present, Future Book 8” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives […] Source

Episode 87 – The Michael Trailer

In the episode, Karin and Elizabeth discuss the teaser trailer for the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, and compare it to the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. They explore the history and evolution of movie trailers as an art form, noting their shift from simple advertisements to sophisticated promotional […] Source

Episode 86 – Echoes Without Presence

In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss the recently published essay Karin wrote, Echoes Without Presence: AI, Michael Jackson, and the Crisis of Cultural Authenticity. They discuss specific topics as mimesis, misremembering and disremembering and imagination. Feel free to connect and ask us questions. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 86 – Echoes […] Source

Episode 85 – Sentenced to Neverland

In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin discuss the essay, Sentenced to Neverland: Michael Jackson, Peter Pan, and Queer Futurity by Amy C. Billone. This essay is published in Michael Jackson: Grasping the Spectacle, edited by Christopher R. Smit. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 85 – Sentenced to Neverland Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives […] Source

Episode 84 – Part 2 Margo Jefferson

In part 2 of our discussion about Margo Jefferson, we discuss articles from the Guardian and her essay in the catalogue of the On the Wall exhibition. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 83 – part 1 – On Michael Jackson” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 4 (2025). […] Source

Episode 81 The Road To KingVention

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 […] Source

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Episode 80 – The Staging of a Media Trial

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 […] Source

Episode 79 – Consuming Passions

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 […] Source

Past-Present-Future Book 7

In this episode Karin and Elizabeth discuss four columns by Kerry Hennigan, the two podcasts of last year and dive in the introduction of an academic book titled “Unfinished Business” by Judith Hamera. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 77 – ‘Past-Present-Future Book 7’, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On An Academic Conversation 12, no. 1 […] Source

Episode 76 – Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’

In episode 76, Karin and Elizabeth discuss the essay “Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’: Michael Jackson’s Critical Race Representation” by Dawn-Elissa Fischer, Professor at the San Francisco State University where she teaches courses on black popular culture, information technology and virtual ethnography. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 76 – ‘Wannabe Startin’ Somethin’’, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives […] Source

Episode 75 – Summer Edition Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On

Abstract: In Episode 75, Karin and Elizabeth speak briefly about the hiatus the Journal has been in, past episodes and great essays to read, and the 8th year of The Dangerous Philosophies and the paperback published in April this year by Bloomsbury. Elizabeth also shares her experience visiting MJ the Musical. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and […] Source

Episode 74 – The Roots and Routes of Michael Jackson

Abstract: In Episode 74, Karin and Elizabeth have Dr Tristan Cabello as their guest to discuss the essay The Roots & Routes of Michael Jackson published in 2012 by Sylvia J Martin. In this compelling episode they answer questions about identity, influence, if MJ was politically used and much more. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and […] Source