What Do You Think of Michael Jackson? Captain EO in the Mexican Context of the 1980s

Authors

  • Pedro Antonio Lucas Sandoval Universidad de Guadalajara
  • Ximena De Los Ángeles Ramírez Hernández Universidad de Guadalajara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32870/cl.v2i33.8104

Keywords:

sociology, pop culture, globalization, neoliberalism, Latin America

Abstract

This article offers a critical analysis of the cultural phenomenon of Michael Jackson, drawing on the essays compiled in Jacksonism, edited by Mark Fisher. It examines how Jackson's global image and musical production reflect the rise of neoliberalism during the 1980s and 1990s, alongside the expansion of U.S. cultural imperialism through the entertainment industry. By addressing the political context, the emergence of pop music, the role of simulacra, and the global dissemination of Jackson’s persona, the article argues that he embodied neoliberal values such as individualism, consumerism, cultural homogenization, and the erasure of social conflict. It also integrates responses from Mexican audiences to explore how this cultural export is critically perceived in Latin America. Overall, the study reveals how pop culture operates as a symbolic apparatus of power, masking geopolitical interests beneath the discourse of universality and entertainment.

Author Biographies

Pedro Antonio Lucas Sandoval, Universidad de Guadalajara

Estudiante en la licenciatura de sociología enfocado en temas relacionados a la teoría crítica y estudios latinoamericanos.

Ximena De Los Ángeles Ramírez Hernández, Universidad de Guadalajara

Estudiante en la licenciatura de sociología enfocado en temas relacionados a la teoría crítica y estudios latinoamericanos.

References

Archivo N+. (2023, enero 31). ¿Qué opinas de Michael Jackson? (1984) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sKWg-3s24k&t=8s

Jacksonismo Michael Jackson como síntoma / Mark Fisher …. [et. al], compilado por Mark Fisher … [et.al] –1ª ed. Impresa – Buenos Aires: 2014.

Published

2025-07-01