Overview

Social media’s incessant connectivity cultivates a vibrant digital landscape centred around shared interests. Though these fandoms offer a sense of belonging, they also pose risks due to the unchecked dissemination of toxic practices - harmful rhetoric, intolerance, and hateful speech. Beyond Fandom offers a meticulous exploration of online communication in social media, providing insights into online discourse and a timely perspective on the evolving nature of communication. Standing out for its deliberate and comprehensive engagement with fan studies and toxic fan practices within the context of contemporary online communication, this collection situates fan communities at the forefront, not only meticulously investigating the broader impact of social media on contemporary society, but also delving into an in-depth exploration of the dynamics inherent to fan practices within these digital spaces. Integrating perspectives from Information Technology, Communication Studies, Sociology and more, the collection captures the complexities of how online fan communities’ function, communicate, and influence the evolving digital landscape. By centralising fan studies, this collection provides a crucial lens through which to understand the capability of fan practices to shape the trajectory of online communication. It provides a nuanced understanding of the interplay between social media and contemporary society. Providing a thorough exploration of online discourse and focusing on the “always on” nature of social media and the dynamics of fandom, this is compelling reading for scholars of digital communication.

Full Product Details

Author:   Natalie Le Clue (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa)
Publisher:   Emerald Publishing Limited
Imprint:   Emerald Publishing Limited
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.446kg
ISBN:  

9781836084839

ISBN 10:   1836084838
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   15 September 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Introduction; Natalie Le Clue Section 1. Digital Discourse Dynamics Chapter 1. The cultural authority of fan play and the toxic turn; Line Nybro Petersen Chapter 2. ‘Kau dan Aku’: The othering perspectives in digital hate speech, fandom rivalries and hashtag activism in Malaysia; Norena Abdul Karim Zamri and Nur Nasliza Arina Mohamad Nasir Chapter 3. “Nobody is gonna miss the DEI hires dude”: The language of toxic fans on video game layoffs; Renee Ann Drouin Chapter 4. “Laughs in the face of woke culture:” Lady Ballers, Jeremy Boreing, and the reactionary fanboy auteur; Anthony Dannar Chapter 5. Shipping in fandom: Structure or division? Case study of fans negative behavior in Voltron fandom; Kania Arini Sukotjo Chapter 6. Fandom's dark side: Uncovering the intricacies of conspiratorial play as digital practice; Simone Driessen and Bethan Jones Section 2. Ethical Reflections and Identity Considerations Chapter 7. Fixing, slipping, glitching: Feminist and anti-feminist jujitsu online; Sophie Sandberg Chapter 8. May the dialogue be with you: Communication literacy and the co-constructive nature of fandom; CarrieLynn D. Reinhard Chapter 9. Coming out straight: Ethics of queer identity speculation and celebrity; Kaela M. Joseph, Tanya Cook, and Alena Karkanias Chapter 10. Admiration to alienation: Assessing fan response to celebrity weight loss using representation theory; Emilie Buckley and Carol Stinnett Section 3. Fan Communities and Cultural Dynamics Chapter 11. Spectacles of hate: Anti-shippers understood through perspectives on darkfic; Dania Shaikh Chapter 12. Fan flames: Exploring African fan cultures in online political arenas; Natalie Le Clue Chapter 13. Between history and fantasy: Fan discourse and ideological tension in Chinese Axis Power Hetalia fandom; Yang Xinye Conclusion; Natalie Le Clue

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Author Information

Natalie Le Clue is a media lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. She specialises in fan studies, and her research specifically explores toxic fan practices and their effects within fan communities and media environments. Notably, Dr Le Clue has conducted research that explores toxic fan practices in political fandoms, offering insights into their manifestation and impact on online discourse.

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