The discipline of fan studies is famously undisciplined. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t structured. This is the first comprehensive primer for classroom use that shows students how to do fan studies in practical terms. With contributions from a range of established and emerging scholars, coeditors Paul Booth and Rebecca Williams pull together case studies that demonstrate the wide array of methodologies available to fan studies scholars, such as auto/ethnography, immersion, interviews, online data mining, historiography, and textual analysis. This collection also probes the ethical questions that are unique to fan studies work, such as the use of online fan content for research, interview methods, consent, and privacy.
“This groundbreaking collection marks the further maturing of fandom studies as an academic field through its consideration of a diverse range of fan practices, methodologies, and theoretical issues, with a strong emphasis on ethical concerns. I know I will be sharing many of these contributions with my students for years to come.”—Henry Jenkins, author, Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture
“A Fan Studies Primer is a necessary contribution to the field. The book makes a vital case for the importance of methods and methodology in fan studies—while, importantly, recognizing the complexity and risks of doing so. It is an essential resource for scholars, researchers, and students.”—Adrienne Evans, Coventry University
Maria Alberto, Cait Coker, Renee Ann Drouin, Anne Gilbert, Danielle Hart, Matt Hills, Lies Lanckman, Julia Largent, Katherine Larsen, Lori Morimoto, EJ Nielsen, Mandy Olejnik, Rukmini Pande, Milena Popova, Kadian L. Pow, Suzanne Scott, Josh Stenger, Alex Thomas, Elise Vist, Lesley Willard, Benjamin Woo
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