For tickets, see: https://debalie.nl/programma/van-dallas-tot-succession-een-avond-kijken-naar-onze-televisiecultuur-07-10-2026/

In 1985, honorary ASCA member Ien Ang published Watching Dallas, the English-language edition of her 1982 book Het geval Dallas. The book was groundbreaking: it took popular culture seriously and challenged the idea that television viewers were merely passive consumers. From 1978 to 1991, the soap opera Dallas, following the ups and downs of a Texas oil dynasty, captivated an estimated 350 million viewers worldwide. The Dallas craze marked both the high point of broadcast television and a turning point towards an increasingly commercial television culture, characterized by an abundance of American productions. Taking Dallas as its point of departure, this event explores how popular culture and television have changed over the past decades. We will consider soap operas and streaming services, high and low culture, and television’s place in contemporary culture. Alongside Ien Ang, the speakers are Linda Duits, Joke Hermes, and Jaap Kooijman. The evening will be moderated by Rokhaya Seck.