Invited Speaker Talk: Why Fandom Matters
by Professor Henry Jenkins
School of International Communications
University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 26 May 2023
On 26 May, the School of International Communications invited Professor Henry Jenkins to deliver a public lecture on “Why Fandom Matters”. Professor Henry Jenkins is one of the most renowned scholars today in communication and media study internationally.
This lecture offers an overview of some of the core assumptions about fans and fandom which have shaped western fandom studies, which is warmly received and welcomed by students and teachers. Now let's take a look at the insights Professor Henry Jenkins shared in the lecture.
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The Pride of Being a Fan
The word “fan” is usually associated with irrational and even fanatical images. Fans are often portrayed as mentally incompetent, isolated and extreme. Certain groups of them have been associated with words like “living off their parents”, “social incompetence”, and “unattractiveness”.
At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Henry Jenkins used his own personal experience as an example to break down these stereotypes. He said that he loves superheroes like Batman and thoroughly enjoys reading their stories. Contrary to popular perception, he believes that fans are the most critical critics and are quite creative. Fans are not geeks in a corner either and their shared passion is precisely what contributes to the strong social relationships. Professor Jenkins tells us that his aim in the study of fans is to make people proud of their fan identity and to be able to enjoy the happiness of being a fan with pride.
Therefore, how does “Fan Studies” work? How does it define fans? According to Professor Jenkins, there are two main perspectives: one regards fans as consumers and focuses on them as individuals, focusing on individual consumption behavior. The other emphasizes the social nature of fans and study them as a group. According to the research, every fan of a TV series drives about 20 people to become new fans, thus from this perspective the value of fans to the market is much more meaningful than individual consumption. In the US, soap opera fandom does not develop within the same generation but is passed on from one generation to the other. Grandmothers tell their mothers, and mothers share it with their daughters. Whether within families or in the wider community, fandom culture creates a unique cohesion and generates unimaginable economic value.
The Rise of Fandom
To explain the rise of fandom in the modern sense, Professor Jenkins highlights the word “Lead Consumer”. When a product is created, its function is usually limited. To meet the different requirements of different people, some consumers must take the initiative to adapt them and provide them with new functions. This type of consumer is the “Lead Consumer”. While it is initially the consumer who adapts the goods, it is also the producer who discovers new markets in the process and thus proactively caters to these requirements to expand the benefits. This becomes a consumer-centric process. As the most cohesive and purchasing consumers, fans act as market leaders to a large extent. Professor Jenkins takes LEGO as an example. Due to the great plasticity of LEGO blocks, many LEGO fans love to use them to recreate classic scenes. LEGO has also discovered the opportunity to expand its fandom by cooperating with Star Wars and Marvel and launching its own animations.
After explaining the influence of fans, Professor Jenkins then describes the rise of Japanese animation in the United States. As a result of the Second World War and the Korean War, some Americans were stranded in Asia and were exposed to Japanese animation. Those who became interested in animation returned to the United States with several videotapes. The animation on these tapes thus spread throughout the United States, prompting more Americans to look forward to seeing more and better animation. In this process, one of the first Japanese animation fans in the United States was born. They started by showing anime videos to others, and then began to run shops selling anime tapes and even merchandising. By now, sophisticated streaming services such as Crunchyroll are commonplace, and high-quality, large quantities of anime are readily available. This is largely due to the role of the fan base.
Female and Minority Fans
Yet, Professor Jenkins tells us that the inner workings of the fan community are not as harmonious as they appear to be. Female fans and minority fans, who are a significant part of the fan community, have been subject to discrimination and prejudice. In twentieth-century America, science fiction fans were mostly the elite from prestigious schools that admitted almost exclusively male students. Coupled with the fact that science fiction works were largely written by male authors, the world of science fiction was firmly closed to women. However, by the 1960s, with the emergence of many female science fiction writers, this situation seemed to change. When the Star Trek series became popular, a significant number of female fans took the initiative to start a fan campaign. However, this act did not lead them to be recognised. Instead, they were ostracised by mainstream male fans and branded as “Trekkie”, a derogatory term for a fanatical and mindless view of science fiction. But female fans fought against this injustice. Naming themselves “Trekker”, they regard themselves as active participants and constructing their own unique culture that other fans have never tried. This act offers a variety of perspectives on understanding culture and diminishes the pejorative tendencies of the term “Trekkie”. “Trekkie” is now used to refer to Star Trek fans who are more light-hearted and casual than “Trekker”.
The discrimination suffered by ethnic minority fan groups is even more severe. As many white supremacists believe that black people are incapable of independent thought, some black people strive to prove themselves by succeeding in academic and cultural fields. In this process, black people are becoming increasingly involved in popular culture. However, there still exists widespread and harmful Toxic Fandoms in society. They are always radical white males who are outraged by the mere image of a dark-skinned or Asian person. Professor Jenkins argues that the fandom of the US is now unfairly represented, and that the diversity requirements expressed by women and minorities are not sufficiently valued. This may also fail to be applied equally to cultural communities across the globe.
The Subcultural Fandom
Professor Jenkins also analysed the subcultural. Using Marvel as an example, he points out that subcultural fans have in fact reconstructed some elements of real life, offering them a new and personalised meaning. Fans who emulate Marvel heroes are not simply copying images from the media. Their choice of dress and movement reveals a unique self-perception and worldview. Furthermore, this allows consumers, particularly female consumers who have long been marginalised, to step into a more active position.
Professor Jenkins also emphasised the importance of writing about subcultures from two perspectives: one as the subculture enthusiast’s own experience and the other as an objective account by academics, which is what he advocates as the Aca-Fan Stance. He argues that his and other people’s own experiences are the basis of subcultural studies. However, explaining these experiences to people with no experience in a certain fandom requires objective and faithful narration and analysis.
Based on that, Professor Jenkins describes the operational process and influence of subcultural circles. Fans go through two main stages in their choice of content: the selection of specific fan object, and the position they choose to take in their fandom, from which they construct their own unique tastes and appreciation and gradually come to recognise themselves and the environment. The unique perception drives fans to meet people with the same interests and similar ideas within their circle. They form communities, exchange knowledge of specific cultures and share strong affective impulses. The most unique aspect of this is that fans use different works as a repository for their own expressions, selecting symbols and imagery from them. This process of re-creation enriches cultural diversity and expands the influence of the subcultural community.
After the lecture, students from the School of International Communications showed Professor Henry Jenkins around the campus and conducted an exclusive interview. Students also showed their exhibition to Professor Henry Jenkins in the library and took this precious opportunity to communicate with him.
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