Keywords
Textual Analysis, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Surveillance, Post-9/11, Snowden Revelations
Abstract
This paper employs textual analysis to critically examine how the film Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) represents post-9/11 surveillance technologies and techniques in light of the Edward Snowden revelations regarding data collection and analytics, the role of digital technologies in surveillance, and the sacrifice of democratic rights. It does this by employing David Lyon’s book Surveillance After Snowden (2015) to highlight core narrative points and scenic elements of the film that depict how surveillance is framed exclusively in terms of governmental surveillance practices, specifically drawing connections between the NSA and S.H.I.E.L.D. Focusing on narrative aspects of the film such as character motivations, and technical aspects such as pre-emptive analytics, data doubles and digital technologies, this project examines how Captain America: The Winter Soldier frames surveillance in terms such as freedom versus fear, the suspension of the presumption of innocence, set against the development of a ubiquitous and ambient digital surveillance infrastructure. This paper examines how the film mispresents the accuracy of pre-emptive analytics, excludes the role of corporate social media, and glosses over the dangers of digital surveillance to a democratic society by framing the central concern of digital surveillance as who is controlling “the switch.”
Primary Advisor
Vincent Manzerolle
Program Reader
Valerie Scatamburlo-D'Annibale
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Communication, Media and Film
Document Type
Major Research Paper
Convocation Year
2022
Included in
Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Other Film and Media Studies Commons, Social Justice Commons