Term 1
GRSJ GRSJ_V 350A-101
Title: Fandoms, Fan Cultures, and Social Justice
Instructor: Dr. Kim Snowden
Description: This course explores various fandoms in the context of fan studies and social justice as spaces for negotiating identity, escapism, a means of collaboration and community, and as a form of activism. We will look at aspects of fandoms such as fan fiction and storytelling, shipping, politics in fandoms, cosplay, anti-fandoms and what Henry Jenkins calls “cultural convergence” – a form of participatory culture that speaks to the convergence of a group of fans, particularly around technology, new media, and social media. Particular attention will be give to the perceived social contract between fans and artists, creators, actors, etc. who frequently engage with fans. Students will analyze and engage with social justice and fan studies scholarship and various fandoms to understand how fandoms and fan cultures can, at times, be unsafe spaces that reproduce oppressive and harmful ideologies but can also be a place of liberation, collaboration and change for historically marginalized communities. Fandoms explored will come from the worlds of television, film, music, video games, literature, celebrity culture, social media and other areas of popular culture.