Damon R. Young sitting in front of a window
Photo: Jen Siska

Research Bio

Damon R. Young is a scholar of film and media studies, critical theory and French whose research focuses on the politics and aesthetics of cultural expression, including how media forms (literary, cinematic, and digital) shape subjectivity, identity, and desire. His first book, Making Sex Public and Other Cinematic Fantasies (Duke, 2018) was shortlisted for the Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present Book Prize. His next book project, Century of the Selfie, is forthcoming with Harvard, and asks: "Is the self of Rousseau's Confessions the same as the self of the selfie?" Most recently, he co-edited a special issue of Representations (with Stephen Best and Mia You) on "Meme Aesthetics," examining the political functions, registers of speech and aesthetic inheritances of this ubiquitous cultural form.

Research Expertise and Interest

film theory, digital media, global art cinema, gender and sexuality studies, critical theory

In the News

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms
2026 Spring
  • Field Studies for Majors  [FILM 197B]  

  • Directed Research  [FILM 299]  

  • Individual Study for Doctoral Students  [FILM 602]  

  • Film Honors Thesis  [FILM H195]  

  • Individual Research  [FRENCH 299]  

  • Special Study for Graduate Students  [FRENCH 601]  

  • Individual Study  [FRENCH 602]  

2025 Fall
  • Field Studies for Majors  [FILM 197B]  

  • Graduate Film Theory Seminar  [FILM 200]  

  • Graduate Film Theory Seminar  [FILM 200]  

  • Supervised Independent Study and Research for Advanced Undergraduates  [FRENCH 199]  

  • Special Study  [FRENCH 298]  

  • Individual Research  [FRENCH 299]  

  • Aspects of French Culture  [FRENCH 43A]  

  • Special Study for Graduate Students  [FRENCH 601]  

  • Individual Study  [FRENCH 602]  

2025 Summer
  • Special Topics in Film  [FILM 170]  

  • Special Topics in Film  [FILM 170]  

2025 Spring
  • Graduate Topics in Film  [FILM 240]  

  • Dissertation Writing Seminar  [FILM 297]  

  • Directed Research  [FILM 299]  

  • Individual Study for Doctoral Students  [FILM 602]  

  • Film Honors Thesis  [FILM H195]  

  • Modern Studies  [FRENCH 265B]  

  • Dissertation Writing Seminar  [FRENCH 297]  

  • Individual Research  [FRENCH 299]  

  • Special Study for Graduate Students  [FRENCH 601]  

  • Individual Study  [FRENCH 602]