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Publication
Netflix’s transnational identities: from europeanness to cosmopolitanism in sex education
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Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A British creation, Netflix’s original hit series Sex Education (2019–23) casually navigates local, national and global references. British and American protagonists appear from the first episode, joined by international characters from northern Europe and francophone Africa, although not much is made of these supposedly foreign identities. As much as the period in which the show is set cannot be easily pinpointed, since references to different temporal eras are screened in a vibrant mix of songs, patterns and colours, so does identity appear as fluid, constructed as a diffuse mix of accented languages, native idioms and cultural backgrounds. Aiming to unpack this apparently harmonious mix, this article focuses on Episode 5 of the third season, in which Eric travels to Nigeria with his family, while the remaining students go on a study trip to France. It asks what visions of hyphenated identities emerge, as well as what representations of Europe are put forward. From First World War trenches to romance, from toilet humour to rude French characters, the episode disparages ‘Europeanness’ and instead foregrounds the value of cosmopolitanism. It thus contributes to our understanding of the idea of Europe and its future, as framed by global audio-visual cultures.
Description
Keywords
Streaming Teen fiction Europe France Great War Globalization
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Liz, M. (2024). Netflix’s transnational identities: From Europeanness to cosmopolitanism in Sex Education. Journal of Popular Television, The, 12(3), 303–315. https://doi.org/10.1386/jptv_00131_1
Publisher
Intellect