On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., the public defense of the doctoral thesis of Ms. Styliani-Anna Klimatsaki, PhD candidate in the Department of Audio and Visual Arts at Ionian University and member of the Interactive Arts Lab, will take place in the Conference Room (ground floor, Building of the Departments of History and Archives -Library Studies, Ionian University). The doctoral thesis is entitled: “Incest in World Cinema: The Performance of Gender, Social Roles, and Sexual Orientations in Cinematic Representations of Incestuous Relationships”. Τhe dissertation has been conducted under the supervision of Professor Dalila Honorato, with Professor Aristeidis Tsantiropoulos and Associate Professor Agnes Papadopoulou serving as members of the advisory committee.
Abstract
This doctoral research examines films released between 2001 and 2020 that address the theme of incest. In addition to a semiotic analysis of the selected films, the research draws on theoretical and analytical approaches from film studies, social anthropology, psychology, cultural studies, and gender and sexuality studies. It also incorporates an empirical investigation based on a focus group, exploring participants' perceptions, experiences, and interpretations of cinematic representations of incest. The primary aim of the research is to examine incest as a phenomenon within cinematic narratives and representations, to investigate the ways in which gendered subjects, social roles, and sexual orientations are represented in the context of incestuous relationships, and to explore contemporary social perceptions and attitudes toward incest. More specifically, the research addresses the following questions:
- How are incestuous relationships and the individuals involved in them represented in cinema?
- How does the socially prohibited and negatively perceived nature of incest influence its cinematic representation?
- Does incest function as a mechanism of domination, or can it also constitute a space for the expression of complex emotions and desires?
- In what ways do incestuous relationships affect gender identities, social roles, and sexual orientations?
- How are incest and the individuals involved in incestuous relationships perceived by film audiences?
- How does contemporary society perceive incest?
By addressing these questions, the study seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of the intersections between cinematic representation, gender, sexuality, social norms, and cultural perceptions of incest.
Doctoral committee composition:
- Dalila Honorato, Supervisor, Professor, Department of Audio and Visual Arts, Ionian University
- Aristeidis Tsantiropoulos, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Crete
- Agnes Papadopoulou, Associate Professor, Department of Audio and Visual Arts, Ionian University
- Patricia Gerakopoulou, Assistant Professor, Department of Digital Media and Communication, Ionian University
- Anna Apostolidou, Assistant Professor, Department of History and Digital Humanities, Ionian University
- Despoina Poulou, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean
- Vasileios Psarras, Assistant Professor, Department of Performing and Digital Arts, University of the Peloponnese
The defense is public and open to all.
Invitation letter
