This movie adaptation of the musical “Hair” focuses on the American 1960s counterculture movement. The story follows Claude, a Vietnam War draftee, and his encounters with a group of hippies. They introduce him to their lifestyle of drugs and peace rallies, but Claude struggles with his political views that don’t align with his new friends’. […]

Set in mid-19th-century New York City, this musical navigates themes like the American Dream, class relations and othering. After being fired from his job, Phineas is desperate for a new occupation to support his family. But it’s not just about the money; he craves to change the world with his knack for magic and entertainment. […]

Made up of two acts, the musical Hamilton narrates the life of Alexander Hamilton. Set in 1776 during the American Revolution, the plot follows Hamilton working as George Washington’s assistant as well as his courtship of Eliza Schuyler. After the war he goes on to become the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United […]

When 17-year-old Marko wakes up in a psychiatric cell, he’s disoriented and unsure what is real and what isn’t. He remembers an earthquake and nothing else, but is convinced that his doctor is trying to kill him. Unsure of what is real and what isn’t, he needs escape this precarious situation; but who can he […]

This illustrated coming-of-age book series is about politeness and friendship. An anthropomorphised bear from Peru is found at Paddington station and taken in by the Brown family. Because his Peruvian name is too hard to pronounce, he is named after the place he was found. Paddington has a liking for marmalade and always carries a […]

The cartoon “The First Illegal Immigrants” by Andy Singer, published in 2013, critically investigates the occupation of America, the forced displacement of native Americans and the exaggerated border controls of the US homeland security. Based on the scenery, three members of the first nations interrogate a family of settlers, arriving from England, asking: “No Greencards? […]

This picture book is a fable of colonisation. While both the writer and the illustrator live in Australia, the stylised illustrations and the abstract descriptions manage to provide a more general understanding of the experience of a culture feeling overrun by another. The story is told from the perspective of numbat-like creatures who experience how […]

Ongoing web cartoon series on social media and remote work that was started in 2007. Each cartoon usually consists of one image and a caption. They depict relatable situations at home or at the workplace, such as the particular example shown here. A woman working from home while she is laying on the couch calls […]

The painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper is often described as timeless and univeral. It shows three customers and a waiter in an all-night diner, but none of these ‘night owls’ portrayed here appear to talk to each other. The fluorescent lighting, which was a new development in American restaurants in the 1940s, as well as […]

“Zombie” by the Irish band The Cranberries problematises the violent troubles in Northern Ireland. The protest song was composed after two kids were killed and dozens of people injured in a bomb attack in Warrington city on March 20, 1993. Written in memory of the young victims and the mental trauma caused by the conflict, […]

The song “Hunger” by the English indie rock band Florence + the Machine contemplates a relation between eating disorders and youthful loneliness. The singer Florence Welch has stated in interviews that this lead single from the album High As Hope originally started out as an autobiographical poem but morphed into this song throughout the years. […]

“It will happen. … maybe you’re just not listening to the poetry right.” In this spoken word poem, the speaker conveys experiences of her sexuality being dismissed; wrapped up in the metaphor of “don’t worry the poem will get good“. The performance can act as an introduction to discussions surrounding LGBTQ+ rights, identity, sexuality, stereotypes, […]

American Pictures is a collection of approximately 22,000 photos revealing racism, segregation, social hierarchies and white supremacy. The powerful pictures of Danish photographer Jacob Holdt were not taken with an artistic intention but rather to capture the hardship and brutal reality of America in the 1970s. Holdt’s work portraits life in ghettos ranging from poverty, homelessness […]

The cartoon “War Against Climate Change” by Chriss Riddell, published in The Guardian on December 20, 2009, critically investigates the devastating effects of climate change in the near future and the denial of responsibility by older generations. Based on the scenery, a grandfather sits in an armchair with his granddaughter on his lap and his grandson sitting […]

The cartoon “Do What I Say, Not What I Do” by Patrick Chappatte, published in The New York Times on December 8, 2005, critically investigates environmental pollution and the reluctance of industrial countries to make a change. Based on the scenery, a stout American with a drinking bottle saying “Oil” suggests to an Asian businessman that: “To […]

This ecocritical, animated short film for children, young adults and other ages, which was adapted from Tom Rivett-Carnac’s children’s book by the same name, shares an empowering message: “No time for sorrow, we are building tomorrow.” Following a young girl, the story explores how mankind rediscovers nature during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, which, […]

The cartoon “American Dream Helper” by Steve Greenberg, published in the Marin Independent Journal in November 2001, critically investigates a contemporary version of the American Dream and outlines that the pursuit of happiness can only be achieved in reality, if one just adds enough money. Based on the scenery, a woman longing for a life of material […]

This Irish novel is about social difficulties in mid 20th century Ireland, emigration, and cultural identity. The book follows Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who is not cannot find work. Thus, she decides to immigrate to the United States as she, too, heard of the American Dream. After some initial difficulties, she falls in […]