Maja Subasic: Exploring the Darker Side
Junior sociology major Maja Subasic always has been fascinated with subcultures. Drawn to the Goth subculture, she even recently attended a Goth-themed event called Dracula’s Ball. Maja notes that while most of today’s cultural movements are becoming better accepted, it seems that Goth culture is still poorly recognized. Eager to understand why, Maja developed a study around this topic.
Gaining a better appreciation for human behavior through her research, Maja has discovered that there is an interesting relationship between people’s acceptance of “darkness” or negative occurrences in their lives and their view of the Goth subculture. “Conflicts between people arise due to the fear that comes from misunderstanding and failing to take the time to learn,” she explains. She hopes that her research will dismiss the misconceptions that people have about Goths as well as to help resolve issues that may cause conflicts.
“The greatest impact on the world is made by the people who are passionate and willing to commit to that passion,” Maja explains. “With that in mind, I have learned that if I care about something, there is a pretty good chance that someone else does too. Taking the effort to transform ideas into reality, no matter how bizarre society perceives them to be, is what makes all the difference.”
Project Titles: "The Goth Subculture: An Acceptance of the Darkness of Everyday Life"
Date: Scholarship and Creative Arts Day 2008 – Tuesday, April 22
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Conrad Kanagy
Maja – who is shown above with her faculty mentor, Dr. Conrad Kanagy – is one of several student scholars from Elizabethtown’s Sociology/Anthropology Department who will present during Scholarship and Creative Arts Day 2008. A full schedule of this and other events featuring the creativity and scholarship of Elizabethtown students will be available in mid-April on the Scholarship and Creative Arts Day webpage.
