M Stang

M Stang serves as Visiting Professor leading Randolph College's American Culture Program through a three-year Ainsworth Visiting Scholar appointment beginning in 2025, designing interdisciplinary courses exploring the political economy of theme parks and amusement industry impacts on U.S. history.

Education:

• B.A. in History and History of Art, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
• M.A. in Cinema and Media Studies, University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts
• M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in American Studies and Film & Media Studies, Yale University

Research integrates American Studies, Film and Media Studies, and Religious Studies through visual culture analysis of theme parks, haunted attractions, and everyday entertainments. Their fieldwork-driven approach examines how amusement industries shape cultural narratives and historical consciousness, with current focus on the U.S. Halloween haunted house industry.

Prior professional experience includes collections management, art installation, and academic outreach at the Motown Museum, University of Michigan Museum of Art, and Yale University Art Gallery. Teaching emphasizes interactive roundtable discussions in courses like Media, Culture, Power and Religion & Popular Culture, leveraging student perspectives to analyze emerging trends in popular culture while fostering critical appreciation for mundane entertainments.