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!
[Guest Post] Monstrous, hockey-robot Omegas
This week, we have a guest post for you from Elise Vist, who is a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo. *** Two years ago, I sat down with my supervisor for three hours as we came to
Call for Symposium Essays
transformativeworksandcultures: TWC has three upcoming special issues that are still taking Symposium submissions. And while we are always desperate for good Symps, we are especially eager to have more fan voices. It’s 1500-2500 words editorially reviewed, so there is a
Even in anonymous sites and communities, there can be issues of consent. In 2015, I researched the ‘SimSecret’ LiveJournal site. As all posts and most comments are anonymous, seeking permission to quote or reproduce work proved impossible. However, when the
mybitca: So I just scrolled through a clickbait article called 20 Dark Secrets You Never Knew About Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I was reading it, and it was pretty much what I expected, until I got to this part: Under
One of the most important goals that Fan Studies can achieve as a discipline is to record watershed moments in online cultural history that often pass under the notice of more mainstream analysis. Hemmann, Kathryn. 2017. Anime Fan Communities: Transcultural