My paper, “Fandom Squared,” was published this month in Transformative Works and Cultures. From the introduction:
Being a fan has always been about more than just “voting” for a particular story world. Indeed, in contrast to the streamlined logics of Web 2.0, fandom is a dynamic and sometimes elusive set of “social structures and cultural practices created by the most passionately engaged consumers of mass media properties” (Jenkins 2010). As such, fandom often exists (at least in part) beyond the boundaries of taste and canon sanctioned by the creators of those properties. While it is sometimes gratifying to know the companies behind media franchises are keen to listen to and directly address their properties’ fans via real-time Web applications, in many cases, those fans would actually prefer to be left alone. It is through such tensions that we can see the emerging shape of fan practice in the era of Web 2.0. Here, I outline several such tensions by comparing how Web 2.0 businesses and fan communities conceive of, foster, and manage participation. (TWC: Fandom Squared)
Read the full paper here.