What forces shape you? – Star Wars Psychology
Who could ask for a more enticing hook for sci-fi fans than a question like “What forces shape you?” That’s right, Star Wars Identities is coming to town, well, at least a few Canadian ones, and hopes to shed some (psychosocial?) light on that question…
The exhibit attempts to look at questions of modern identity formation through the lens of the much-beloved movie series Star Wars. 
The event, a combination of pop psychology and science, will be hosted first by the Montreal Science Centre, followed by the Telus World of Science in Edmonton. Unfortunately it appears that the show will not make it to the US, which is a shame, as I would really like to see what this is all about, but can’t really make time to go to Montreal or Edmonton just to see this exhibit. The whole exhibit is shaped around the central question “What forces shape you?” There is even a Rorschach-style video montage that has been produced as promo for the exhibit (see below).
You can check out some of the official posters right here. More about the exhibit here and here (official site). Matt Currie over at Collider has more details about the exhibit, which is actually an interesting hybrid event combining pop culture and science in one:
“Working with the Montréal Science Centre exhibition developers and a committee of scientific advisers, STAR WARS Identities has divided its study of identity into three major themes: the origins of the characters, the influences that shape them, and the choices they make during their life. Within these three themes, ten components of human identity are explored: species, genes, parents, and culture in Origins; mentors, friends, and marking events in Influences; and occupation, personality, and values in the final zone, Choices.
These components form the backbone of the exhibition, exploring the complex notion of identity both in the real world and in creative fiction. Original content throughout the exhibition will shed light on each of the components of identity; simultaneously, “making-of” featurettes explore the stories behind the development of many iconic Star Wars characters, explaining how they became who they are, and showing how different creative choices might have made them different characters altogether.”
While I might not make it in person, this sounds like a really, really cool exhibit. If you happen to be in the Montreal or Edmonton area this year, you might want to check it out.
As a final teaser, here are some of the exhibit posters. Pretty fraking cool!
Yoda_StarWars_Identity
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© 2012 The New Adventures of Horatio Bootblack
Until next time…May the Force be with You.
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