A basic introduction to the cultural phenomenon - Fandom. Defining Fandom and viewing how it evolved into a subculture.

2. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CULTURAL
PHENOMENON OF FANDOM

3. • What is Fandom?
• Fandom as a Subculture
• Fan communities
• Fans as textual producers
• Various Fandoms
• Why become a fan ?
• How to join a Fandom/s ?

4. fan /fæn/:
n
an ardent admirer of a pop star, film actor,
football team, etc
a devotee of a sport, hobby, etc
Etymology: 17th Century, re-formed C19: from
fan( atic)

5. John Fiske noted that, “Fandom has been associated with
the tastes of subordinated formations of people,
particularly those disempowered by any combination of
gender, age class and race”

6. Fisk said that fans :
- Establish a sense of ownership of favourite media texts
- Engage in interpretive activity with these texts
- Fans develop a sense of self-identity for themselves

8. 1. SOCIAL ASPECT
2. INTERPRETIVE ASPECT

9. - Fan activities are built around popular texts
- They read into texts with great detail
- Fans debate these details
- Fans integrate these cultural materials into their lives

12. 1. Linguistic codes 2. Symbolic codes

13. - Fans not only interpret texts but become textually productive.
- Productivity: 1) Close reading of primary texts
2) Material production of creative texts
CREATING BRAND NEW NARRATIVES

14. Producers Consumer/
Producer
message message
Consumer
other
Consumers

15. JENKINS ARGUED THAT:
“Fans possess not simply borrowed reminents snatched
from mass media, but their own culture built from their
semiotic raw materials” (1992: p49).

16. Fans write stories about their favourite media texts. This is
called „Fan Fiction‟ or „FanFic‟.

22. - 99% of Fandoms are Fantasy or science fiction related
with 1% dedicated to religion and politics.

32. - Eustress (Positive Stress)
- Escapism
- Entertainment
- Group affiliation
- Self- esteem
- Sense of belonging
- Emotional investment without getting hurt

33. ONLINE:
- Live Journal.com
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Tumbler
- Websites of your interest/s
Or: Comic book conventions, Sports events, Concerts etc.