An unexpected double-feature took over the internet this summer as moviegoers reveled in combining a bleak historical drama and a pink-laden surreal comedy. Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer couldn't be more different in terms of aesthetics and themes, so why did their pairing enter the cultural zeitgeist so quickly? 

"I saw all the memes and that a lot of people on Twitter were going to watch them as a double feature, and I thought that sounded really fun," said honors student Will Walker, who undertook a "Barbenheimer" viewing. "I actually watched Barbie with my mom in the afternoon and then Oppenheimer with my dad that evening. I remember loving Barbie and having all good feelings and then I got hit by the draining but incredible experience of Oppenheimer," he added.  

What does the "Barbenheimer" hype reveal about the future of pop culture?  As part of the Pulse discussion series, the Honors College will present "BARBENHEIMER," featuring a panel of faculty experts examining this cultural phenomenon from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Honors Student Lounge. Pizza and drinks will be provided.

Faculty who will provide context and lead a question-and-answer session include: 

• Alessandro Brogi, professor of history and historian of the Cold War;

• Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, associate professor of Italian and associate director of the Gender Studies Program, affiliate faculty in African & African American studies, comparative literature and cultural studies, and Jewish studies; 

• Lisa M. Corrigan, professor of communication and director of the Gender Studies Program, affiliate faculty in African & African American studies and Latin American studies.

"What does the coupling of World War II nuclear history and a mid-century modern fashion doll suggest about the here and now?" said Honors College Dean Lynda Coon. "Join our talented faculty panel and find out!"

The Honors College Pulse discussion series began in 2016 following the presidential election and was named in remembrance of victims of the Pulse nightclub shootings. Since then, it has featured conversations around the Dakota Access Pipeline Project, the legal ramifications and decisions related to hate crimes, ways to fight local hunger and poverty as well as the war in Ukraine.