Secular Religion of Fandom

Secular Religion of Fandom PDF Author: Jennifer Otter Bickerdike
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781473912694
Category : Fans (Persons)
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description

Secular Religion of Fandom

Secular Religion of Fandom PDF Author: Jennifer Otter Bickerdike
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781473912694
Category : Fans (Persons)
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Secular Religion of Fandom

The Secular Religion of Fandom PDF Author: Jennifer Otter Bickerdike
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1473912679
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 134

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Book Description
Media pilgrimage has become a booming business in the 21st century. Fans of television shows, rock groups and books flock to places associated with their favorite series, artist or writer, trying to embody and perhaps understand what inspired the beloved piece of work, and, more importantly, to cobble together their own personal identity, seeking meaning in an ever-more divergent and fast-paced world. At the same time, participation in organized group activities are dropping. One of the largest down turns in the US and the UK can be seen in the steep decline of attendance at traditional religious venues. This trend dovetails with the radical uptick in on-line sites dedicated to pop culture and celebrities, as well as an array of niche-focused real-time tours allowing fans to experience the spaces, places and scenery featured in their favorite entertainment medium. The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim examines the function of fandom, specifically the visiting of spaces which have been recently deemed worthy of sanctification and a newly elevated status of importance. It examines how such pilgrimages are used as a means for forming and maintaining a common language of culture, creating a replacement apparatus based on more traditional frameworks of religious worship and salvation, while becoming an ever more dominant mechanism for constructing individuality and finding belonging in a commodified culture. Looking at television shows such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, bands like The Stone Roses and Joy Division, and authors like J.K. Rowling and the Brontë sisters, The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim delves into these issues by examining spaces, fan communities and rituals, providing a unique and provocative investigation into how technology, media and humanistic need for guidance are forming novel ways of expressing value, forging self and finding significance in an uncertain world.

The Sacred in Fantastic Fandom

The Sacred in Fantastic Fandom PDF Author: Carole M. Cusack
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476670838
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
To the casual observer, similarities between fan communities and religious believers are difficult to find. Religion is traditional, institutional, and serious; whereas fandom is contemporary, individualistic, and fun. Can the robes of nuns and priests be compared to cosplay outfits of Jedi Knights and anime characters? Can travelling to fan conventions be understood as pilgrimages to the shrines of saints? These new essays investigate fan activities connected to books, film, and online games, such as Harry Potter-themed weddings, using The Hobbit as a sacred text, and taking on heroic roles in World of Warcraft. Young Muslim women cosplayers are brought into conversation with Chaos magicians who use pop culture tropes and characters. A range of canonical texts, such as Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Sherlock--are examined in terms of the pleasure and enchantment of repeated viewing. Popular culture is revealed to be a fertile source of religious and spiritual creativity in the contemporary world.

Secular Religions

Secular Religions PDF Author: Tamás Nyirkos
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040112986
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
Secular Religions: The Key Concepts provides a concise guide to those ideologies, worldviews, and social, political, economic, and cultural phenomena that are most often described as the modern counterparts of traditional religions. Although there are many other terms in use (quasi, pseudo, ersatz, political, civil, etc.), it is “secular religion” that best expresses the problematic nature of all such descriptions, which maintain that modern belief systems and practices are secular on the one hand and religious on the other. Today, the topic is as popular as ever, and secular religions are discovered far and wide. Hence, a critical summary is urgently necessary. The juxtaposed title is itself an expression of ironic distance. The book emphasizes inherent tensions of relevant literature in a critical and informative fashion. The author provides over 100 entries, from abortion to wokeness, as well as a detailed introduction, which gives an overview of the different definitions of “religion” and “secular religion” as well as the history of secular-religious comparisons. The main text reconstructs the argument of several key works on each given topic, while lists of sources for further reading are provided at the end of each entry. This book provides a clear introduction to “secular religions” and will appeal to researchers and students of religious studies, political philosophy, political theology, the history of ideologies, and cultural studies.

A Companion to Media Fandom and Fan Studies

A Companion to Media Fandom and Fan Studies PDF Author: Paul Booth
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119237165
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 592

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Book Description
A Companion to Media Fandom and Fan Studies offers scholars and fans an accessible and engaging resource for understanding the rapidly expanding field of fan studies. International in scope and written by a team that includes many major scholars, this volume features over thirty especially-commissioned essays on a variety of topics, which together provide an unparalleled overview of this fast-growing field. Separated into five sections—Histories, Genealogies, Methodologies; Fan Practices; Fandom and Cultural Studies; Digital Fandom; and The Future of Fan Studies—the book synthesizes literature surrounding important theories, debates, and issues within the field of fan studies. It also traces and explains the social, historical, political, commercial, ethical, and creative dimensions of fandom and fan studies. Exploring both the historical and the contemporary fan situation, the volume presents fandom and fan studies as models of 21st century production and consumption, and identifies the emergent trends in this unique field of study.

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Media Fandom

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Media Fandom PDF Author: Dunn, Robert Andrew
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799833259
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 433

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Book Description
Leisure time today is driven by fandom. Once viewed as a social pariah, the fan and associated fandom as a whole has transformed into a popularized social construct researchers are still attempting to understand. Popular culture in the modern era is defined and dominated by the fan, and the basis of fandom has established its own identity across several platforms of media. As some forms of fandom have remained constant, including sports and cinema, other structures of fandom are emerging as the mass following of video games and cosplay are becoming increasingly prominent. Fandom has been established as an important facet in today’s society, and necessary research is required for understanding how fandom is shaping society as a whole. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Media Fandom is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research that reviews some of the most exigent facets of today’s fandom and highlights understudied cultures of fandom as well as emerging intricacies of established fandom. While promoting topics such as esports, influencer culture, and marketing trends, this publication explores both qualitative and quantitative approaches as well as the methods of social science and critical perspectives. This book is ideally designed for marketers, media strategists, brand managers, consumer behavior analysts, researchers, academics, and students.

Research Anthology on Fandoms, Online Social Communities, and Pop Culture

Research Anthology on Fandoms, Online Social Communities, and Pop Culture PDF Author: Management Association, Information Resources
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1668445166
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Book Description
The internet has grown to become one of the largest communication hubs in history. With its ability to share content and create community bonds, it has seen many fandoms and online social communities develop within the past decades. While there are some detriments to these communities, there are also many benefits and potential uses for the betterment of society. The Research Anthology on Fandoms, Online Social Communities, and Pop Culture explores the ways in which the internet has presented itself as a platform for communities to gather. This essential reference source discusses the engagement of these communities, social media use, and the uses of these communities for education. Covering topics such as digital communities, transmedia language learning, and digital humanities, this book is a vital tool for educators of K-12 and higher education, digital folklorists, sociologists, communications researchers, online administrators, community leaders, and academicians.

Fans

Fans PDF Author: Cornel Sandvoss
Publisher: Polity
ISBN: 0745629725
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
Explores the social, cultural, and psychological premises and consequences of fan consumption. This book describes the nature and development of whole fan cultures, and focuses on the experience and identity of the individual fan.

Handbook of Research on the Impact of Fandom in Society and Consumerism

Handbook of Research on the Impact of Fandom in Society and Consumerism PDF Author: Wang, Cheng Lu
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799810496
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 605

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Book Description
Fans of specific sports teams, television series, and video games, to name a few, often create subcultures in which to discuss and celebrate their loyalty and enthusiasm for a particular object or person. Due to their strong emotional attachments, members of these fandoms are often quick to voluntarily invest their time, money, and energy into a related product or brand, thereby creating a group of faithful and passionate consumers that play a significant role in multiple domains of contemporary culture. The Handbook of Research on the Impact of Fandom in Society and Consumerism is an essential reference source that examines the cultural and economic effects of the fandom phenomenon through a multidisciplinary lens and shapes an understanding of the impact of fandom on brand building. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as religiosity, cosplay, and event marketing, this publication is ideally designed for marketers, managers, advertisers, brand managers, consumer behavior analysts, product developers, psychologists, entertainment managers, event coordinators, political scientists, anthropologists, academicians, researchers, and students seeking current studies on the global impact of this particularly devoted community.

Taking Sides

Taking Sides PDF Author: Elke Bippus
Publisher: transcript Verlag
ISBN: 3839449014
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 299

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Book Description
Is there an option to oppose without automatically participating in the opposed? This volume explores different perspectives on dissent, understanding practices, cultures, and theories of resistance, dispute, and opposition as inherently participative. It discusses aspects of the body as a political instance, the identity and subjectivity building of individuals and groups, (micro-)practices of dissent, and theories of critique from different disciplinary perspectives. This collection thus touches upon contemporary issues, recent protests and movements, artistic subversion and dissent, online activism as well as historic developments and elemental theories of dissent.