Ida Yoshinaga

Ida Yoshinaga is an Assistant Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Literature, Media, and Communication. Her work bridges academic scholarship and creative practice in speculative/fantastic arts, focusing on film/TV production studies, SFF genres, and transmedia storytelling. She earned her PhD from the University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa and has produced award-winning animated films like 'Sina Ma Tinirau' (2021), adapting Rotuman folklore.

Education:

• PhD in Media Studies, University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa

Research Interests: Yoshinaga investigates how marginalized communities use speculative storytelling to envision survival strategies. Her work analyzes cross-cultural adaptations, franchised IP like Disney narratives, and the political dimensions of cinematic pre-production. She champions intersectional approaches to gender/racial representation in SFF, with special attention to Indigenous and Pacific Islander narratives.

Publications: Her co-edited book Uneven Futures (MIT Press, 2022) redefines speculative fiction's socio-political role. Recent journal contributions include analyses of fairytale transmedia adaptations and queer SFF author collectives.

Awards:

• RD Mullen Grant (2020)
• Walter James Miller Award (2018)
• Grace Abernethy Creative Writing Award (2015)

Grants/Consulting: She advises on Samoan screenwriter John Kneubuhl's biopic and serves on editorial boards for Science Fiction Film and Television and International Journal of Disney Studies.

Labs/Initiatives: Leads the Critical Production Studies research cluster, focusing on community-engaged screen projects and ethical storytelling practices.