Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On An Academic Conversation

Abstract: In this episode, Karin and Elizabeth discuss their experiences at Kingvention, a Michael Jackson fan convention. Karin explained her decision to skip this year's convention due to ethical concerns about AI-generated content using Michael Jackson's art and voice, comparing it to desecrating works by Shakespeare or Rembrandt. Elizabeth shared her experience, where she sold copies of her book "Dangerous Philosophies" and met with other fans and talked about the special guests, including Bill Wolfer, Hugo Huizar, and Seth Smith. They discussed the convention's exhibits featuring Captain EO memorabilia, costumes, and props, as well as the community's commitment to preserving Michael Jackson's artistic legacy. Elizabeth emphasised the importance of bringing together fans and academics to advance Michael Jackson studies, noting how the convention helped foster this community connection. REFERENCE AS:Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. “Episode 92 – KingVention Special” Podcast, Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 13 no. 4 (2026). Published electronically 03/06/26. https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/episode-92-kingvention-special Episode 92 – KingVention SpecialBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx, BMus, MA Art History, BA Cultural Philosophy, Classically trained Artist, Classically trained Musician, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of  A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, published with academic publisher Eburon. Find out more about Karin here. Our References and Where to Easily Find Them: Elizabeth Amisu, The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife (Bloomsbury, paperback 2023) https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dangerous-philosophies-of-michael-jackson-9798765123645/ Karin Merx, 'Echoes without Presence: AI Michael Jackson, and the Crisis of Cultural Authenticity', The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies (Nov. 18, 2025) https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/echoes-without-presence-ai-michael-jackson-and-the-crisis-of-cultural-authenticity/

Abstract: In this episode, Elizabeth and Karin talk about Judith Hamera’s powerful book, Unfinished Business: Michael Jackson, Detroit, and the Figural Economy of American Deindustrialization, the concept of virtuosity in relation to Michael Jackson's labours and the labour of factory workers. They also explore the cultural and historical context of Michael Jackson's music and the potential for future opportunities for a new "33 1/3" series book about one of Michael Jackson’s albums. A 33 1/3 book was published on Dangerous in 2014, written by Susan Fast. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. "Episode 78 – The Labours of Michael Jackson." Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 1 (2025). Published electronically 21/02/25. http://michaeljacksonstudies.org/the-labours-of-michael-jackson/. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies.” Episode 78 - The Labours of Michael JacksonBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx 'I think that somebody could come along with a really nice essay (people that are thinking about writing for the journal) about the labours of Hercules and the labours of Michael Jackson.'- Elizabeth Amisu Unfinished Business: Michael Jackson, Detroit, and the Figural Economy of American Deindustrialization by Judith Hamera (2017): https://amzn.to/416ZmoW Submit a proposal for 33 1/3: https://333sound.com/how-to-submit-a-proposal/ Our References and Where to Easily Find Them1. The Labours of Hercules - https://www.theoi.com/articles/what-were-the-12-labors-of-hercules/2. The Michael Jackson Book Club - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mjbookclub/3. Kingvention – The Michael Jackson Convention - https://www.kingvention.com4. Pierre Bourdieu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvzahvBpd_A Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of  ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’. Find out more about Karin here. www.michaeljacksonstudies.orgfacebook.com/michaeljacksonstudiestwitter.com/mjas29instagram.com/elizawriterinstagram.com/karinmerx You May Also Like: