University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Folklore in 10,000 Pixels: Icon Use by Fanfic Writers on LiveJournal

Rebaza, Claudia M.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/18761

Description

Title
Folklore in 10,000 Pixels: Icon Use by Fanfic Writers on LiveJournal
Author(s)
Rebaza, Claudia M.
Issue Date
2006-05
Keyword(s)
  • Folklore
  • Identity
  • digital practices
  • community media
  • Online community of practice
  • Computer-mediated communication (CMC)
  • social informatics
  • technology adoption
  • online discourse
  • women's speech
  • Online communities
  • image-enabled discourse
  • visual communication
  • Fan studies
Abstract
Folklore is concerned with the presence or absence of lore and how it demonstrates the boundaries and existence of community. Lore is expressed through behaviors, discussion, objects or combinations thereof. The Internet, and indeed any technology, does not create communities, it can only facilitate or inhibit their interaction. But the use of a technology can create certain practices or modify existing lore among groups who use it. Cultural and media studies have for some decades examined creative fan communities as a form of “audience response” to media texts. Fan audiences differ from the more casual consumer of popular entertainment by their level of interest, immersion in, and knowledge of their object of interest. Participating in a fandom is an inherently social activity. While fandoms in general share certain attributes and practices they are also often deeply divided on matters of taste, values, and the role the central text or fandom plays in their lives. These issues of dispute manifest themselves in practices, social groupings, vocabulary, and even disagreement on what the central text or object is. This essay focuses on the functions, disputes and values in a fandom community through the examination of the visual practice of icon use by fan fiction authors and artists at the LiveJournal blog site.
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/18761
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2006 Claudia M. Rebaza

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