Fan Studies Research Articles

Early real-world experience with intravitreal Faricimab for neovascular AMD: FAN study

PurposeThis study presents real-world experiences and clinical outcomes of patients who switched to faricimab after prior treatment with other anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medication for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in 2022. DesignWe evaluated all consecutive patients that received an intravitreal injection (IVI) with faricimab for nAMD and had complete follow-up visits after at least three IVI. MethodsFunctional and structural parameters including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, logMAR), foveal centre point (FCP, µm), central subfield retinal thickness (CSRT, µm) and macular volume (mm3) were evaluated after three (n = 71) and five (n = 57) faricimab injections with complete follow-up visits. ResultsWe included 71 eyes of 63 patients. Mean BCVA at baseline was 0.49 logMAR (0 – 1.6) and did not change significantly after five faricimab injections (p = 0.33). Significant reductions were seen for FCP, CSRT and macular volume after the first five consecutive injections when compared to baseline (p < 0.0001 respectively). FCP was 388.35 µm (173–924 µm) at baseline and decreased to 279.16 µm (97 – 667) at visit 5. CSRT was 370.68 µm (202 – 1074) and decreased to 307.75 µm (168 – 590) at visit 5. Macular volume was reduced from 2.59 mm3 (1.83 – 4.90) to 2.31 mm3 (1.80 – 3.19) at visit 5. Intraocular inflammation was observed in one eye showing anterior chamber cells that resolved with topical corticosteroid treatment. ConclusionsThe results of the FAN (FAricimab for Neovascular AMD) study indicate that faricimab improves structural outcomes in patients with recalcitrant fluid due to nAMD with no major complications observed.

Fan studies in Latin America: A call to arms

Fan studies in Latin America: A call to arms

Design and aerodynamic stability improvement study of a non-axisymmetric stator fan in a distorted insertion plate configuration

The design of anti-distortion fans must ensure the reliable operation and flight safety of propulsion systems under inlet distortion conditions. This research uses an insertion plate to obtain the inlet distortion flow field for a specific type of turbofan engine. Based on the characteristics of distortion effects, a novel strategy is proposed to rapidly implement a non-axisymmetric stator (NAS) quasi-three-dimensional design to create anti-distortion fan designs and improve the performance and stability of the fan in distortion environments. Numerical studies show that under three rotational speed operating conditions, the NAS effectively improves the total pressure ratio and efficiency characteristics of the fan under inlet distortion conditions. Compared to the prototype, the NAS can significantly increase the stability margins by 10.31 %, 8.31 %, and 7.39 % under the three different speed operating conditions, which effectively expands the stability boundaries. The NAS design directly affects the distortion region, effectively improves the incidence angle of stator vanes in the distortion region, suppresses the development and migration of vortices inside the stator passage, and significantly reduces the stator vane diffusion factor. Because it effectively eliminates corner separations and makes the incidence angle distribution of stator vanes relatively circumferentially uniform, the internal flow field of the fan's stator vanes and overall aerodynamic performance of the fan improve. Furthermore, the NAS design can improve the internal flow field downstream of the fan, direct the nonuniform flow field at the inner bypass outlet toward circumferential uniformity, and effectively improve flow field uniformity.

“Alex, DO NOT BACKPEDAL ON SANDY HOOK!”: Reactionary Fandom, Cancel Culture, and the Possibility of ‘Audience Capture’ on YouTube

“Cancel culture” has gained tremendous attention in contemporary political discourse. On platforms like YouTube, reactionary ideological entrepreneurs often employ what Ng terms second-order discourses on cancel culture, that is, portraying call-out practices such as shaming public figures as left-wing censorship efforts stifling free speech. This article argues that such call-out practices, generally ascribed to progressive communities, also occur internally within reactionary communities where fans hold ideological entrepreneurs accountable for adhering to potentially extreme political canons. Adopting a fan studies perspective, this exploratory investigation used “close” and “distant” readings on 1.8 million comments from the now-canceled “The Alex Jones Channel” on YouTube (2017–2018). Focusing on Jones’ recantation of the “Sandy Hook Hoax,” the authors show that, akin to traditional fandom conceptions, radical audiences engaged in call-out practices demanding “character” and “narrative” fidelity. This contribution, theorized as “audience capture,” emphasizes the bottom-up efforts of audiences to maintain the radical views of ideological entrepreneurs.

Pengaruh Hadiah dalam Kemasan, Kualitas Produk, dan Distribusi Produk terhadap Keputusan Pembelian TosTos

This research aims to empirically test the influence of gifts in packaging, product quality, and product distribution on TosTos purchasing decisions (case study of NCT Dream fans in North Bekasi). The sample for this research is NCT Dream fans in North Bekasi who have the decision to purchase TosTos. The sample was carried out using a probability sampling method, namely random sampling. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire distributed via Google Form to 170 respondents. The analysis in this research uses Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, with t-test hypothesis testing. The results of this research show that in the partial t test packaged gifts have a significant positive effect on purchasing decisions, product quality has a significant positive effect on purchasing decisions, but product distribution does not have a significant effect on purchasing decisions. The results of the f test show that the variables of gift packaging, product quality and product distribution simultaneously have a significant influence on TosTos purchasing decisions (case study of NCT Dream fans in North Bekasi).

Koszmar menedżera? Wstępne uwagi dotyczące możliwości zarządzania fandomami

Management more and more often turns to the organization as the subjects of its activities in their functional aspect, not the material one. One of such spaces are virtual communities, including fandoms. However, the achievements of fan studies dealing with them have relatively rarely appeared in management sciences so far. In order to determine the state of scientific considerations related to the management of fandoms, a study of the available literature was carried out, covering the leading scientific journals from the list prepared by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science in the field of management sciences, as well as cultural and religious studies, which deal with topics related to management, and thirdly from the Scopus database. Therefore, the article is of a review nature and its main purpose is to indicate the research gap for the issue of fandom management. Therefore, it constitutes a preliminary diagnosis of the current state of research and seeks an answer to the question: does the issue of fandom management appear in the researched scientific journals? The answer to this question remains essentially negative – although some of the topics discussed in the journals are related to the selected issue, the leading titles included in the list of the Ministry of Education and Science so far lack a comprehensive analysis of it. They appear in journals indexed in the Scopus database and in other publications (e.g. monographs). This situation means a specific lack of systemic support for the entry of texts dealing with fandom management into the mainstream of Polish scientific research.

Exploring Intersectionality in Digital Anti-Fandom of the “Women-Centered” China’s TV Series Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

In recent years, there has been a growing body of research on women representations in China’s media products. However, there is a dearth of studies about women representations in digital anti-fans. This gap leads to a limited understanding of the audience’s participation in discussing women-centered media content and gender issues in China’s society. Within this context, this study investigates China’s digital TV fandom, focusing on the anti-fans’ discourse of a women-centered TV series Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace. The research questions are: What are power dynamics in the anti-fans discourse? To what extent does the anti-fan discourse reflect women empowerment? We analyzed 5 roasting videos from anti-fans and related posts and comments as our data. Using intersectionality and Critical Discourse Analysis as the theoretical framework, the data is analyzed thematically. The analysis unveils that multiple oppression is reflected in the anti-fans’ discourse, which shows resistance against hegemony and changes in power relations. This anti-fans discourse is an alternative form of women’s empowerment of discussing multiple inequalities in China’s society under a politically sensitive online environment. This research uncovers the intersection of gender, class, and power dynamics within anti-fandom spaces as a critical ideological battleground where female marginalization is actively contested. By highlighting the anti-fan’s criticism of women representations in China's media content, this study significantly contributes to both fan studies and the broader discourse on women empowerment. It underscores the transformative potential of anti-fandom in challenging entrenched social norms and promoting gender equity in digital media. Keywords: Multiple inequalities, digital culture, multiple identities, women representation, discourse analysis.

The Elusive Fandom: The Problem Field of Foreign Fan Studies

The article is dedicated to an overview of English-language fan studies as an interdisciplinary research area. In particular, it discusses trends in the development of fan studies, various approaches to the conceptualization of fandom and fans, as well as the phenomenon of “aca-fans” and the specifics of research ethics in fan studies. The author traces the complex path of formation and transformation of fan studies into an independent subdiscipline recognized by the academic community. This path is marked by a series of “waves,” which reflect both different approaches to understanding the subject of study and changes in the status of fan studies as such. The spread of fan practices and communities emerging around objects of mass culture contributed to their normalization and mainstreaming. Fan studies also demonstrates changes in its focus: the issue of stigmatization of fans is receding into the background, and fandom analysis in the context of social inequality, participatory culture and media consumption is becoming relevant. Contemporary discussions within fan studies are aimed at rethinking the key notions and searching for new interpretations and concepts that overcome the limitations of previous approaches. One of the main topics of discussion is whether the focus of fan studies is still on the fan community (a tradition started by Henry Jenkins) or whether it also includes individual fans. In addition to revising the concepts and boundaries of the subject field, the article addresses methodological and ethical problems in this area. Particular attention is paid to the position of “aca-fans”, belonging to both the academia and the fan world. The article also shows how the perspective of fan studies is beginning to be applied in related social science disciplines. Since many communities and movements (political, consumer, cultural, etc.) function in some ways similar to fandom, turning to fan studies theories can deepen our understanding of these phenomena.

The quest for authenticity amid activism and sportswashing: a netnographical study of Chinese satellite fans during the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup

ABSTRACT The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup is poised to leave a complex legacy, marked by the array of social, economic, and political controversies that enveloped the tournament. In this study, we utilized a netnographic approach to explore the identities of satellite fans within two online communities during the World Cup tournament. By specifically focusing on the cooptation and dismantling of sport activism within a non-western satellite fan context, we offer critical insights into the intricate interplay between politics and sport on an international platform. Through a case study on Chinese satellite fans, our findings reveal a pronounced inclination among fans towards seeking authenticity, which acts as a defensive mechanism for rationalizing their role identity.

Aging, Nostalgia and Older Punk Women’s Fandom.

Despite their continued engagement as audience throughout their lives, there is some suggestion that ageing, or older, fans have been at large omitted from fan studies (Middlemost, 2022). This does seem to be shifting, however, and there is a growing body of fandom scholarship concerning ageing fans. Indeed, in the context of punk, there has been a growing recognition of the continued significance of punk to older participants and fans (e.g. Andes, 2002, Bennett, 2006, Davis, 2006), contrasting earlier work which theorized punk as a youth subculture (see, for example, Hebdige, 1998). This reflects the increasing academic interest in the ageing popular music audience more broadly (Bennett and Hodkinson 2012). Despite such positive shifts, ageing women continue to be marginalised in such discussions concerning punk and older fans, meaning that much theoretical and conceptual understandings of ageing punks have failed to fully consider the interaction between ageing, gender and fandom.

Putting forward platforms in fan studies

Editorial for "Fandom and Platforms," edited by Maria K. Alberto, Effie Sapuridis, and Lesley Willard, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 42 (March 15, 2024).

Players, production and power: Labor and identity in live streaming video games

Thousands flock to sites like Twitch or YouTube to create new, transformative media by playing video games. Streaming is a massive, monetized industry and practice, with a spectrum of streamers: hobbyists, full-time creators, and celebrities. I orient streaming as a type of fannish production, both commercial and noncommercial, that allows gamers to create new media products and make money doing so. Broadening understandings of fannish labor to include streaming provides new opportunities for insight that benefit the field. I review current trends in streaming research, discussing potential new research directions beneficial to cross-disciplinary fan studies. I focus on studies that foreground power and inequality (rarer, to date), arguing that intersectional research, methodological diversity, and increased attention to power hierarchies is imperative. Focusing on the relationship between power and streamers' lived experiences complements existing attention to power in fan cultures.

"One day longer, one day stronger": Online platforms, fan support and the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes

The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were widely supported by fans at fan events like conventions and on online platforms. I discuss how this opened up larger questions about the relevance of fan labor for the industry and blurred lines between creators and fans, and why scholars of fan studies (and beyond) are directly impacted by the strikes' outcome.

The Royal Treatment

The Royal Treatment

Fandom meets artificial intelligence: Rethinking participatory culture as human–community–machine interactions

Fandom as an interpretive community is the frontier for rich insights into the multi-layered interactions and practices between individual users, communities and intelligent machines. To understand the challenges and opportunities Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents to contemporary media and culture, we discuss how fans engage with AI, as fandom provides meaningful insights into interactions between individual technology users, the collective and machines. We propose rethinking participatory culture as human–community–machine interactions to understand the wider implications of AI to society and culture. We outline three emerging phenomena and potential consequences of fans’ engagement with AI: (1) fan labour made (un)easy, (2) parasocial interactions (un)familiarised and (3) realities (un)settled. Our conceptualisation transcends existing computer science research, which assumes technology users as isolated individuals and also fan studies, which largely focus on text-audience relationships and tend to take digital technologies for granted as the preconditions of fans’ creative and playful practices.

Figured actions in the Transformers action figure, nonnormative positivism, disability, and transformation

ABSTRACT Fan studies has discussed the action figure as a significant avenue of franchise and fan expression. However, there has been little discussion about the ways the action figure affects the fan once purchased and brought home. This article argues that Hasbro’s Transformers toy affords the fan ways of being in the world that are unique to the physical play experience. The toy hails the fan in an immediate way, and the fan responds through haptic and auditory engagement. This article sutures theories of affect and embodiment found in fan studies to articulations of nonnormative positivism discussed by scholarship in disability studies. The article uses the methods of autoethnography and sensory ethnography to analyse the toy as a cultural and textual object. Such an analysis has broad potential to illuminate the fan’s countercultural agency as they pick up and play with their toys.

Fandom and Fictionality after the Social Web: A Computational Study of AO3

Abstract: Web-based fanfiction is an increasingly important species of modern fiction that is necessary to understanding contemporary literary culture in a multimedia world. Using the Harry Potter fandom on the platform Archive of Our Own (AO3) as our case study, we combine close reading and computational analysis to examine the narrative features of fanfiction and the rhetorical commentary surrounding it. Our approach models a rapprochement between literary studies and fan studies, offering a new data-driven method for analyzing the relationship between traditionally published fiction, web-based fanfiction, and empirical forms of reader response.

Female Fandom and the Anxieties of Agency: A Feminist Reading of the Indian Female Fan in &lt;i&gt;Guddi&lt;/i&gt; (1971)

Academic research on fandom has sometimes stereotyped female fans, potentially influenced by the gendered dichotomy in fan studies. In the context of Indian fan discourses, there has been insufficient academic engagement with gender which poses a significant gap that requires attention. This article explores the intersection of gender, specifically focusing on women, in Indian fan studies. Through a feminist lens, the article undertakes a textual analysis of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s &lt;i&gt;Guddi&lt;/i&gt; (‘The Doll’, 1971), possibly the first Hindi film to diegetically represent a female fan. The study examines how the film portrays female fandom and yet acknowledges that it falls short in successfully dismantling the pathologising stereotypes associated with femininity. Nevertheless, the film successfully initiates a dialogue on the presence and importance of female fan practices in India. It explores how the film acts as a catalyst for a narrative that highlights the agentic potential of fandom. Additionally, the article delves into the broader implications of the film within Indian fan studies, including its capacity to challenge gender norms and inspire further research on female fan practices in the context of Indian cinema.

Design, Study, and Comparison of a New Axial Fan Using the Fibonacci Spiral and a Classic Axial Fan

Design, Study, and Comparison of a New Axial Fan Using the Fibonacci Spiral and a Classic Axial Fan

From fan citizenship to ‘fanspiracies’: Politics and participatory cultures in times of crisis?

Fan practices and behaviours have increasingly moved beyond fan communities into the political, economic and cultural structures of every day life. The proliferation of social media platforms has allowed both the progressive and reactionary aspects of fandom to converge in the public sphere, drawing on similar techniques, pleasures, and practices in order to interpret the world in a culture where the boundaries between popular and political communication are blurrier than they have ever been. This special issue of Convergence explores the synergies, tensions and conflicts at play in this new cultural terrain. It explores how ‘fan studies can be used to make sense of the seeming growth of conspiracy theory communities and right-wing movements, examines political participation as a form of fandom, and the ways in which social media can be used to organize against discriminatory cultures.