Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference

Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference October 31 & November 1, 2025  

The Department of Popular Culture and the School of Cultural and Critical Studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, are proud to announce the Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference.

Soap Operas are serialized dramatic programs that are characterized by a permanent cast of actors, continuing storylines, an emphasis on dialogue instead of action, a slow pace, and a consistently sentimental or melodramatic treatment. These programs began in the early 1930s with 15-minute daytime radio episodes that were often sponsored by manufacturers of soap and detergents. By the 1950s, soap operas dominated late morning and early afternoon weekday television programming as they had dominated a similar time period in radio programming during the previous decade. Plots emphasized romantic entanglements and marital problems. By the 1970s and 1980s the style and content of soap operas had been revolutionized. Controversial or previously taboo topics such as abortion, drug use, domestic violence, and sexually transmitted diseases were now openly discussed. Episodes also dealt more directly with promiscuous behavior, violence, and criminal activity. The format eventually moved into primetime viewing hours.

A key feature of the genre has been its profound understanding of the feminine perspective, often portraying their central female characters as strong embodiments of womanhood. Starting in the early 2000s daytime soap operas experienced an overall decline in viewership, with several programs being cancelled between 2007-2012 due to flagging ratings. Part of the reason for this decline is increased competition from other TV genres like talk shows, tabloid news programs, and reality shows that have drawn viewers away from soaps.

The scope of this conference is deliberately broad with the intention of highlighting the interdisciplinary nature and many avenues of research possible within Popular Culture Studies. For this conference, “Soap Opera” is being defined within the broadest possible terms to include both daytime and primetime serialized programming, international programs and formats like telenovelas, Internet-based programming, and more.