Abstract

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.

This article explores the convergence of contemporary student engagement in the dark academia community online with fictional portrayals of elite higher education institutions found in neo-Victorian novels. Using Donna Tartt's The Secret History (1992) as a case study, the article investigates how reference points reveal the allure of social and economic privilege as well as Eurocentric ideas. In analysing users' creative contributions to the subculture online, this study reveals how dark academia reflects, challenges, and redefines historical and contemporary academic ideals, with implications for accessibility and racial diversity and representation.

Dark academia as a subculture thrives on online platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Tumblr, whilst paradoxically resisting technology. It resonates widely among users aged 14 to 25, creating a unique space for exploring the intersection of history and modernity. In this way, this study will reveal how the lines of history are indirect and fragmented through processes of mediation and remediation. Bridging neo-Victorian fiction and digital culture, the article uncovers how users collaborate to reimagine neo-Victorian themes, crafting a distinct form of student identity.

Keywords

Dark academia, student identity, neo-Victorian fiction, social media, nostalgia, higher education, dark academia