Unlike a traditional doctoral transfer report, this version is divided into blog posts rather than chapters. You can choose to navigate your own path through the literature without a map. But if you would prefer some guidance, you can follow the path I planned. This map is available at the bottom of every page.
In the literature review blog posts, each post is divided into three sections. Origin Story describes the academic origins, discussions, and debates about the subject in question. The Fandom Story discusses the topic within the context of online fan communities. Finally, My Story outlines my own experiences with the theme and the role this plays in the larger project.
The methodology post follows its own rules [it must be a Gryffindor].
1) A fangirl’s guide to the universe: A brief introduction to fan studies
This is a whistle-stop tour through the field of fan studies which explores the conversations and critiques among fan scholars.
2) It’s bigger on the inside: Fandom as a site of public pedagogy
This explains what public pedagogy means and its potential to educate and empower in informal, everyday spaces.
3) Nevertheless, she regenerated: Intersectionality and fandom
This introduces the concept of intersectionality and frames it within the context of popular culture representations of marginalised groups.
4) Dumbledore’s Army, still recruiting: Critical literacy and fandom
This describes critical literacy and the ways in which marginalised groups creating their own online media can be a political act.
This presents the wide-ranging potential of podcasts, and focuses on how fan podcasts can respond to social, cultural, and political contexts.
6) Not all those who wander are lost: Research questions and methodology
This section uses the arguments built over the literature review to propose my research questions, a research design, and the ethical considerations of a digital project.
You can find all the references on this page.
Marginally Fannish 