The alien is fundamental to the experience of international pop culture. Yet it is scarcely addressed in pop theory. At the same time, this theory draws on numerous phenomenological concepts—such as the lifeworld or response—without exploring them in depth. Together, this creates a gap that only a phenomenology of pop can bridge. This book offers an initial approach to doing so. It compares the current discourse in both academic and independent pop theory with the latest research in phenomenology, offering food for thought in both directions. The book concludes with an exploration of the concept of “pop,” illustrated with examples ranging from ABBA Arena to Chinese punk.
299 p., Verlag Karl Alber, Freiburg i. Br., 2026, 49 EUR