About the Author
Hello! My name is Allira Bellawala, and I am a Junior at UC Berkeley studying Media Studies and Cognitive Science with a minor in Data Science. I'm passionate about media psychology and interested in the ways in which media and fiction can impact the self, specifically though identification. To find out more about me, check out my website. This is my first attempt at my own research, so all advice is welcome! Please reach out to me using the form at the bottom of this page if you have any comments, questions, or ideas you want to discuss.
Author's Notes
When I began to brainstorm topics for my research, I never thought I would end up doing a case study on The Hunger Games (a trilogy I last read in fifth grade) and its impact in Southeast Asia. I initially looked into ideas surrounding the implications of fiction on behavior, beliefs, and emotions and stumbled upon this idea through my research. Interestingly, I first heard of the protest movements I discuss in my research in a Tiktok discussing their adoption of the three finger salute; just as I argue in my discussion, the symbol provides access to international audiences like myself. It's been such a learning process throughout this research, and I'm so proud of the work that I've put in. In the future, I hope to pursue more topic within media psychology, mental health, and fiction.
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I also want to give a special thank you to Dr. Dora Zhang and Wendi Bootes for all of their help and mentorship through this research. There's no way I could have made it this far without their guidance and support each step of the way.