Fandom/Fictions: Developments in Contemporary Fan Cultures

With the web 2.0 our lives have changed and so have our fan cultures: We have evolved from a passive mass audience to active participants in the creation of fictional worlds. Is this a simplification, hyperbole, a myth or is it true that we have become more empowered consumers of culture? How have production companies/original creators reacted to fans’ engagement with their material or been influenced by them? What are recent trends and common practices in (online) fan communities? How do fan creations influence our perception of the original fictional product – and our notions of originality, intellectual property, and textuality more generally? What can we learn from fan cultures and teach through their critical exploration? This seminar will address these questions and more. It will be structured in three phases: a theoretical introduction to fan studies, a creative project phase, and a critical engagement with a fandom of your choice. Students will have to write one essay, and hand in a portfolio that includes a representation of their creative work and critical engagement with a fandom.