Beyond nuclear wessels: The historical and symbolic implications of Star Trek's Mr. Chekov
Abstract
Popular culture has long been established as a way to express and discuss real-world issues and experiences. Easily one of the best examples of this is the Star Trek franchise, particularly The Original Series (TOS) from the 1960s, and its connections to the Cold War. A great deal of analysis has already been done on the Cold War allegories represented in Star Trek: TOS, largely focusing on the diversity and progressivism which characterized the show's politics. However, in regards to the Cold War, one particular character stands out as under-analyzed and potentially relevant in existing research: Pavel Chekov, the Russian navigator of the USS Enterprise. Though a comparably minor character, Chekov is a key player in the show's portrayal of diversity and Cold War political allegory. This project seeks to develop this assertion through character analysis and close examination of the television series and existing research; additionally, this project aims to add to existing literature on Star Trek's historical messages of liberalism, diversity, and related Cold War issues, and on the significance of popular culture in academic analysis.
Citation
Burks, J. R., & Takacs, S. (2022, April 19). Beyond nuclear wessels: The historical and symbolic implications of Star Trek's Mr. Chekov. Poster session presented at the Oklahoma State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, Stillwater, OK.