Global Research Project on Fan Communities and Fandom

The words ‘fan’ and ‘fandom’ often conjure up images that range from screaming groupies, supporters adorned in the colours of their favourite sports team and die-hard messageboard participants to stalkers and perpetrators of actual violence against the object of their fannish desires. Whether viewed as a positive or negative cultural force, fandom is so thoroughly inscribed in the social fabric and so central to the way many individuals understand their identity that it warrants closer study.

Inter-Disciplinary.Net… Show more is pleased to announce the launch of the Global Research Project on Fandom. Over the course of an ongoing series of events, the project will facilitate deeper engagements involving participants from across disciplinary and professional backgrounds in explorations of the nature, meaning and implications of fandom as it impacts individuals, fan communities and the societies in which they operate. For our inaugural event, we welcome the submission of proposals for research papers, short position papers, workshops and performances/installations dealing with any aspect of fans and fandom. Submissions may address any aspect of fandom, including but not limited to:

Case studies of specific fans/fandoms
Historical studies of fans/fandoms
Multi-cultural/cross-cultural studies of fandom
High culture vs. popular culture and alternative conceptualisations of fandom (theory fans, politics fans, etc.)
Technologies of fandom
Psychologies of fandom: pleasures, needs and harms
Communal dynamics: use of language, ethnographies, behavioural analysis
First-hand accounts of individual experiences within fandoms
Pleasures and uses of anti-fandom
Impact and social value of fandom
Textual poaches/(un)authorized uses of texts
Taxonomies of fandom
Intersections between fandom and issues of gender/sexuality/race/nationality and other markers of identity
Policing fans and fandoms
Interfaces between fandom and celebrity/stardom
Aca-fans
Perceptions and representations of fandom in the media and creative arts
Migrating fan communities
The value of fandom studies
Innovative methodologies for researching fandom
Innovative pedagogies for teaching fan studies/using fandom as a teaching tool
Entrepreneurial expressions of fandom
Creative expressions of fandom (studies of fanfics, fanvids, fanart, etc.)
Fan conventions and their significance
Economics of fandom (monetisation, commodification, (dis)empowerment)
Issues of gender, sexuality and class within fandom(s)
Critiques of fans/fandom
Proposals of 300 words or less should be emailed jointly to the Organising Chairs with “fan1 Proposal” as the subject. Please include a) name of author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of presentation (e) body of proposal. We acknowledge receipt of all proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should resend. Deadline for submission is 20 February 2013.

Organising Chairs

Dr Ann-Marie Cook: ten.yranilpicsid-retni@kooceiram-nna

Dr Rob Fisher: ten.yranilpicsid-retni@1naf

This event is part of the Global Research Initiative, whose aim is to bring together people from different disciplinary and professional backgrounds in an ongoing series of events dedicated to generating dialogue and research around the many facets of fandom. In light of the project’s emphasis on open engagement and discussion, there is an expectation that delegates attend all sessions and participate fully. A range of publishing opportunities are attached to this project and further details will be discussed during the Development Meeting at the end of the event.

We regret that as a not-for-profit network, Inter-Disciplinary.Net is not in a position to assist with conference travel or fee waivers.

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