Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away

'Star Wars' is a global phenomenon that in 2022 celebrated its 45th year of transmedia storytelling, and it has never been more successful than it is today. More 'Star Wars' works than ever are currently available or in simultaneous development, including live-action and animated series, novels, comics, and merchandise, as well as the feature films for which the franchise is best known. 'Star Wars' fandom is worldwide, time-tested, and growing; academic interest in the franchise, both inside and outside of the classroom, is high. This accessible and multidisciplinary anthology covers topics across the full history of the franchise.

With a range of essays by authors whose disciplines run from culture and religious studies to film, feminism, and philology, 'Star Wars: Essays Exploring a Galaxy Far, Far Away' speaks to academics in the field, students in the classroom, and anyone looking to broaden their understanding and deepen their appreciation for 'Star Wars'.

Emily Strand earned a master's degree in theology at the University of Dayton in 2004 and has taught religion at the collegiate level for nearly 20 years. She is author of two books on Catholicism and several essays on religious and literary themes in popular culture for peer-reviewed publications. Strand co-edited the scholarly anthologies 'Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier' (Vernon Press) and 'Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter' (McFarland). She hosts the podcasts 'Potterversity' and 'Meet Father Rivers', writes the blog 'LiturgyandLife.com', and is a proud member of the 501st and Rebel Legions, international 'Star Wars' costuming associations.

Amy H. Sturgis earned her Ph.D. in history at Vanderbilt University, specializes in the intellectual history of speculative fiction, and teaches at Lenoir-Rhyne University and Signum University. She has taught either undergraduate or graduate classes on 'Star Wars' every year since 2015. The author of four books and the editor/co-editor of ten others, Sturgis has published essays on 'Star Trek' in academic anthologies such as 'Star Trek and History' and 'Common Sense: Intelligence as Presented on Popular Television', and she contributed the Foreword to the 2020 scholarly anthology 'The Transmedia Franchise of Star Wars TV'. Sturgis has been interviewed as a genre expert in a variety of programs and publications such as NPR's "Talk of the Nation," 'The Huffington Post', and 'LIFE Magazine'. Sturgis also contributes the "Looking Back on Genre History" segment to the Hugo Award-winning podcast 'StarShipSofa'.