Sarah

DiBiagio

Honours Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (Minor in Women's Studies)
Thunder Bay, ON

I chose Lakehead for my undergraduate degree partially because this is my hometown but also because of Lakehead’s reputation for providing opportunities for undergraduate research. During my time at Lakehead, I became involved with the student union, spending my fourth year as assistant coordinator at Pride Central. Through Pride, I became involved with the other LUSU centers, meeting new people daily and working to make Lakehead a safe space for all people. I highly recommend engaging with the school community and attending events as my only undergraduate regret is waiting until fourth year to get involved.

In completing my Honors, I had the opportunity to engage in some original research and fieldwork. This was in the subfield of urban anthropology, which can be generally defined as the study of groups of people within urban settings. Specifically, my interest is in metal music, fans and musicians. My thesis explored the ritual of moshing at the metal show, concentrating on the experiences of Thunder Bay fans and musicians. I am particularly interested in youth, violence, and neo-tribalism and, of course, ritual itself.

My question in beginning undergraduate fieldwork was how the aggression of the mosh pit contributes to the experience of the live show. I attended several shows, meeting people and interviewing musicians and fans of the genre. My current interest as I enter into my Masters program at McMaster University is the experience of metal musicians specifically- how they “create” the environment for mosh pits and what mosh means to them. In doing so, I hope to somewhat demystify mosh and contribute to existing theories about violence, youth and ritual.

In the future, I plan to complete my Master’s degree and pursue my Doctorate degree. I aim to continue research as a post-doctoral student and teach at the university level. It is my end goal to be able to provide young academics with the kind of experience and support I have been fortunate enough to receive at Lakehead.

I would have to say that being part of a university community that supported and encouraged my academic interest in metal music is what has been most important to me as a student. I particularly thank Dr. Martha Dowsley, Dr. Frederico Oliveira and Dr. Pamela Wakewich in for their support and help that guided me through my undergraduate degree and into my graduate years.