Fandom Culture_The Power of Readers and Listeners.pptx

Fandom comes from the word “fanatic” and means a group of people deeply passionate about a cultural text — a book, musician, or film.
In modern fandom, fans do much more than admire a creator; they create art, write stories, remix songs, and discuss theories.
The internet has transformed this into a participatory culture, meaning that everyone can contribute and shape the community.
For example, Potterheads write fanfiction, and Swifties make lyric theories and playlists.
So, fandom has become a creative, collective activity — like a digital storytelling community.

1. BABY Fandom Culture: The Power of Readers and Listeners How Literature and Music Fans Create Meaning, Community, and Change Department of English, MKBU Presented By: Khushi Goswami

2. Academic Details Presentation Details Presented: Khushi Goswami Roll no: 8 Sem: 3 Batch: 2024-2026 Enrollment No:5108240001 E-mail-Id: [email protected] Paper no: 205 Paper Name: Cultural Studies Topic: Fandom Culture: The power of readers and listeners Submitted to: S.B.Gardi, Department of English.M.K.B.U Date: 08 Oct, 2025

3. Research Question & Hypothesis What is Fandom Culture? Theoretical Foundations Fandom in Music Case Study: Taylor Swift and the ‘Easter Egg’ culture Fandom Culture in Literature Case study: #RIPJKRowling Cross- Cultural and Multilingual Fandoms Fandom as social & Cultural Power Positive & Negative sides Conclusion Learning Outcomes References

4. Research Question How do fandom communities in literature and music construct, negotiate, and challenge meaning through digital participation in the age of social media? What rhetorical or linguistic patterns (argumentation, humor, irony) are visible in online fan interactions like Taylor Swift’s Easter-egg hunts and #RIPJKRowling debates? Hypothesis In the digital age, fandom communities in literature and music act as collective spaces of meaning-making where fans interpret and debate cultural texts through humor, irony, and argumentation. Examples like Taylor Swift’s Easter-egg fandom (Whiteside, 2023) and the #RIPJKRowling movement (Ravell, 2023) show how participatory culture turns audiences into co-authors who both celebrate and challenge creators, while remaining influenced by social hierarchies and media power.

5. What is Fandom Culture? Fandom comes from the word “fanatic” and means a group of people deeply passionate about a cultural text — a book, musician, or film. In modern fandom, fans do much more than admire a creator; they create art, write stories, remix songs, and discuss theories. The internet has transformed this into a participatory culture, meaning that everyone can contribute and shape the community. For example, Potterheads write fanfiction, and Swifties make lyric theories and playlists. So, fandom has become a creative, collective activity — like a digital storytelling community.

6. Theoretical Foundations Roland Barthes – “Death of the Author” (1968) → Meaning is created by the reader, not fixed by the author. →For Instance: Fans reinterpret Harry Potter without Rowling’s control (#RIPJKRowling). Henry Jenkins – “Textual Poachers” (1992) → Fans “poach” cultural texts and make them their own (fan art, remixes). →For Instance: Swifties turning her lyrics into coded games . John Fiske – “Popular culture as resistance” → Fans use mass culture for personal and social expression. Pierre Bourdieu – “Cultural Capital” → Knowledge and insider status in fandoms give prestige (knowing hidden references). Noam Chomsky – Media Power → Media companies shape how fans engage; algorithmic control influences trends. (Herman & Chomsky, 1988), ( Jenkins), (Barthes), (Fiske), (Bourdieu)

7. Fandom in Music Emotional connection: music fandoms use songs as identity symbols. Digital fandoms: Fans promote, decode, and debate music releases online. Examples of Famous Music Fandoms: Taylor Swift (Swifties) → “Easter egg” decoding and lyrical theories (Whiteside study). BTS (ARMY) → organizes global charity events, mass streaming, and social campaigns. One Direction (Directioners) → digital fandom community on Tumblr and Twitter. Billie Eilish / K-pop Fans → fandoms expressing emotions through art edits and fan videos.

8. Case Study: Taylor Swift and the “Easter Egg” Culture Fans search for hidden meanings (“Easter eggs”) in her songs, videos, and social media posts. This creates interactive storytelling between artist and audience. Fans discuss theories on Reddit, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). According to Whiteside’s research: Fans act as detectives, constructing communal meaning. “Easter-egg hunting” is a rhetorical game of argument and interpretation. Builds parasocial intimacy — fans feel they “know” Taylor. Risk: Over-interpretation can turn into conspiracy thinking (Whiteside warns of this). ( Whiteside)

9. Fandom Culture in Literature Literature fandoms existed long before the internet: Sherlock Holmes readers protested when Conan Doyle “killed” Holmes. Modern literary fandoms thrive online through fanfiction, art, and shipping. Examples: Harry Potter → global fanfiction movement (e.g., AO3, Wattpad). Percy Jackson → fans create art and new mythological characters. Twilight → inspired Fifty Shades of Grey, a fanfiction turned novel. The Lord of the Rings → early 1970s fan clubs and fan zines. COOL

10. Case Study: #RIPJKRowling Twitter trend after Rowling’s controversial comments on gender identity. Fans used the hashtag to reject the author while keeping love for Harry Potter. Ravell’s study (2023) shows: Four main tweet types → humorous, supportive, critical, and defensive. The hashtag became a digital protest and Barthesian act (“Death of the Author”). Showed how fandom can separate art from the creator. Also revealed fandom divisions and toxicity. Demonstrates fan activism — using fandom language to express political views. (“#RIPJKRowling: A Tale of a Fandom, Twitter and a Haunting Author Who Refuses to Die,” 2023)

11. Cross-Cultural and Multilingual Fandoms K-pop fandoms (Korean) → BTS ARMY campaigns for UNICEF (“Love Myself” project). Anime / Manga fandoms (Japanese) → Fansubbing communities and global cosplay events. Bollywood fandoms (Hindi) → “SRKians” (Shah Rukh Khan fans) trend hashtags for film success. Latin music fandoms (Spanish) → Rosalía’s fans remix videos and translate lyrics. Western rock fandoms → Queen, Nirvana, The 1975 fans sustain legacy through memes.

12. Fandom as Social & Cultural Power Fans organize protests, donations, and social movements. Examples: BTS ARMY raised $1 million for Black Lives Matter in 2020. Harry Potter Alliance used story themes for real activism (equality, environment). Fandoms act as public spheres (Habermas) — spaces for shared debate. But also shaped by capitalism — companies use fandom energy for marketing.

13. Builds creativity and community. Encourages reading, writing, and artistic production. Can raise awareness for social issues. Toxic behavior (harassment, bullying, “cancel culture”). Over-commercialization of fan passion. Algorithmic echo chambers promote bias. Positive Sides Negative Sides For Instance, Swifties defending Taylor against critics (positive unity, but sometimes aggressive). Rowling controversy showing division and online hostility.

14. Conclusion To conclude, fandom culture changes how we understand art. It turns readers and listeners into co-authors who interpret, remix, and debate meaning. S ocial media platforms give fans new ways to express creativity and build communities. But at the same time, fandom reflects larger issues — power, identity, and media control. The key takeaway is that fandom is no longer a side activity — it’s a new form of cultural production that reshapes literature and music alike.

15. Learning Outcomes Understand how fandom culture transforms readers and listeners into active participants in meaning-making. Analyze how humor, irony, and argumentation shape fan communication on digital platforms. Identify theoretical frameworks (Barthes, Jenkins, Bourdieu, etc.) that explain fan creativity and power dynamics. Evaluate how fandoms both challenge and reinforce authorial authority in literature and music. Recognize the global and social dimensions of fandom—how it connects art, identity, and activism in the digital age.

16. References Barthes, R. (1977). The Death of the Author. In Image, Music, Text (trans. Stephen Heath). London: Fontana Press. Barry, P. (2017). Beginning theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Beginnings. Bourdieu, P. (1986). The Forms of Capital. In J. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 241–258). New York: Greenwood Press. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Fiske, J. (1989). Understanding Popular Culture. London: Routledge. Guerin, W. L. (2005). A handbook of critical approaches to literature. Oxford University Press, USA. Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (1988). Manufacturing consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Pantheon. Jenkins, H. (2013). Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture. Editeurs divers Royaume-Uni & Irlande. #RIPJKRowling: a tale of a fandom, Twitter and a haunting author who refuses to die. (2023). Public Relations Inquiry, 12(3), 239–270. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/2046147X231180501 Whiteside, A. (2024). Fandom and argumentation in the social media era: Taylor Swift fans and the rhetoric of Easter egg hunts. Argumentation and Advocacy, 60(2), 119–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511431.2024.2432172

17. Thank You!