During the pandemic, we, fans, have been able to rely on some of our already existing coping mechanisms to deal with the increased strain of our mental health due to the global crisis. Participants in a study about the mental
Transformative Works and Culture journal new issue out!
The editorial reflects on the directions the journal intends to take. To us, Fanhackers, one sentence inmediately seems relevant. (…) we continue to resist the tendency within fan studies’ spaces, both casual and academic, to speak about fandom as if
The Classics of Fan Studies: Introduction Post
For my first Fanhackers posts, I want to (re)introduce you to some early works of fan studies that have shaped the discipline into what it is today and inspired the research of many scholars. Each post will be dedicated to
Omegaverse and Racialization
While the omegaverse opens up possibilities of playing with gender and sexuality in new and interesting ways, the stories overwhelmingly focus on pairings between two white men, effectively foreclosing their progressive potential and recentering whiteness. Further, omegaverse stories often exist
Notes about the fannish and the academic
A few months ago, in one of these posts i wrote about my experience at a conference where scholars of literature failed to engage in a discussion about the theory presented in the talk but got stuck at the existence
How fan studies researchers center whiteness as normative
Because of their status as minorities within Western media fandoms, nonwhite fans are seen [by fan studies researchers] to interrupt normative operations of such structures only in specific contexts when they make themselves visible. What I mean by this assertion
Podcast episode: Dr. Alfred L. Martin on ballet fandom, Tyler Perry, and cultures of race in fandoms and fan studies
“It’s a Thing!” is a podcast about fan studies hosted by Dr. Lori Morimoto. In this episode, Dr. Alfred L. Martin, assistant professor at the University of Iowa, discusses ballet fandom, Tyler Perry, and cultures of race in fandoms and
On the industry focus in fan studies
If there are any trends in current fan studies, it clearly has to be the shift toward industry focus and the myriad ways to monetize fan labor. Both industry and academic events concentrate on the intersections and collaborations, sometimes at
On the academic study of fan communities…
While academics should have the freedom to engage critically with cultural texts, including online fan texts, I would also point out that, unlike authors of traditionally published works (that is, works published through academic or commercial presses), fan writers are
About
About This is a fascinating project looking at using fanfiction tools and techniques to re-imagine academia. Check it out – and do pitch if it’s relevant to your interests!