University of Arizona Logo
  • Visit
  • Give
  • College of Fine Arts Home
  • Prospective Students
    • Film & Television Production
    • Live and Screened Performance
    • Film & Television Producing & Studies
    • Online Program
    • Schedule a Tour
  • Admissions
    • Admissions – Current UA Students
    • Admissions – Prospective Students
  • Current Students
    • Advising
    • Admissions – Current UA Students
    • Minors
    • Professional Internship Program
    • Student Links & Resources
    • Career Development
  • Events & News
    • Events
    • Online Events
    • Arizona Repertory Theatre
    • Screening Events
    • Next Performance Collective
    • News
    • Press Releases
    • Alumni News
  • Facilities & Scholarships
    • Facilities
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
  • Support & Partnership
    • Offer an Internship
    • Donor Opportunities
    • Current Sponsors
  • About Us
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Impact Report
    • Visit
    • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
  • College of Fine Arts Home
Home › News & Events › News › Assoc. Prof. Barbara Selznick’s new book addresses television’s portrayal of the American Dream

Assoc. Prof. Barbara Selznick’s new book addresses television’s portrayal of the American Dream

February 28, 2025

Assoc. Professor Barbara Selznick is the author of a new book published this month. In TV’s American Dream: US Television after the Great Recession, Selznick examines the U.S. television industry and its pursuit of audiences whose ideas about hope, fairness, work, and economic class were shaped by the Great Recession. Exploring shows across platforms from legacy networks to Netflix, she takes a deep dive into TV’s representations of the American Dream.

Each chapter of Selznick’s book focuses on a particular strategy mobilized in the second decade of the new century to speak to audiences about their expectations for and concerns about the Dream. Bringing together research on industrial practices with an examination of sociocultural context, TV’s American Dream demonstrates how interconnected forces give rise to the television programs that reinforce and redefine audiences’ ideas about the world in which they live.

“Before the U.S. could recover from the Great Recession, new sociocultural issues emerged—Black Lives Matter, MeToo, immigration debates, COVID-19, and Trump’s re-election,” says Selznick. “These challenges raised big questions about ideals of the American Dream like equity, opportunities for upward mobility, and the complicated concept of “merit.”

“Since I finished the book, streaming has reshaped film and TV, contributing to the 2023 WGA strike. Millennials, once the prime audience, are aging out, while Gen Z prefers content on social media as much as (or more than) traditional TV. Yet today’s hit shows—Succession, The Last of Us, The Bear, White Lotus, Severance, The Boys—still wrestle with the American Dream. They explore insecurities about who’s “American,” who deserves the American Dream, and what you can expect from this Dream. They still ask questions about the importance of family in reaching for and achieving the Dream and about equity and merit. As long as these anxieties exist—and they’re not going away anytime soon—TV will keep reflecting and grappling with them.”

Selznick’s book is already earning kudos. Boston University Department of Film and Television’s Deborah Jaramillo writes “A wide-ranging, insightful, and accessible study of post-recession television, TV’s American Dream meticulously probes narrative, character, genre, audience, and industry to ascertain how the medium adapted to the fallout of an economy gone sour. Selznick maps the elusiveness of the American Dream onto the shifting terrains of television and demonstrates that while the dream can be contested, TV cannot tolerate its complete undoing.”

Events & News

  • Events
  • Arizona Repertory Theatre
  • Next Performance Collective
  • Screening Events
  • News
  • Alumni News
  • Newsletter
  • Prospective Students
    • Film & Television Production
    • Live and Screened Performance
    • Film & Television Producing & Studies
    • Online Program
    • Schedule a Tour
  • Admissions
    • Admissions – Current UA Students
    • Admissions – Prospective Students
  • Current Students
    • Advising
    • Admissions – Current UA Students
    • Minors
    • Professional Internship Program
    • Student Links & Resources
    • Career Development
  • Events & News
    • Events
    • Online Events
    • Arizona Repertory Theatre
    • Screening Events
    • Next Performance Collective
    • News
    • Press Releases
    • Alumni News
  • Facilities & Scholarships
    • Facilities
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
  • Support & Partnership
    • Offer an Internship
    • Donor Opportunities
    • Current Sponsors
  • About Us
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Impact Report
    • Visit
    • Contact Us

School Of Theatre, Film & Television

Theatre

P.O. BOX 210003
1025 N Olive Rd.
Drama Bldg, Rm 239
Tucson, AZ 85721-0003

Email: theatre@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-7008

Film & Television

P.O. BOX 210158B
845 N Park Ave.
Marshall Bldg, Rm 220
Tucson, AZ 85721-0158b

Email: ftvinfo@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-7352

Arizona Arts Box Office

1020 E. University Blvd.
Centennial Hall
Tucson, AZ 85721-0021

Box Office Hours:

Tuesday - Friday: 12:00pnm – 6:00pm
Saturday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
*One hour before show times at venue of performance
Please note: The Box Office observes limited hours or is closed during most university recognized holidays. If purchasing tickets in person, please call ahead to confirm hours.

Online: tickets.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-3341


Console

Copyright © 2025 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona

University Privacy Statement

College of Fine Arts

P.O. BOX 210004
1017 N Olive Rd.
Music Bldg, Rm 111
Tucson, AZ 85721-0004

Email: finearts@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: (520) 621-1302