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Fans

The Mirror of Consumption

Cornel Sandvoss author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Published:16th Feb '05

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Fans cover

This insightful exploration of fandom reveals how individual identities are shaped by media consumption. Fans offers a fresh perspective on popular culture and its impact.

In Fans, Cornel Sandvoss delves into the intricate social, cultural, and psychological dimensions of fan consumption. The book offers a comprehensive exploration of fan cultures, examining not only their evolution but also the personal experiences and identities of individual fans. Sandvoss argues that modern identities are shaped and reflected through media consumption, providing a fresh perspective on the relationship between fans and popular culture.

The scope of Fans is extensive, as Sandvoss utilizes a variety of examples ranging from iconic franchises like Star Trek to global phenomena such as Madonna and football. This diverse range of references helps illustrate his arguments about the significance of fandom in contemporary society. His approach is both original and accessible, making complex theories understandable for readers at different levels.

Ultimately, Fans stands out for its unique contributions to the field, making it an essential text for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students. Its student-friendly style, combined with in-depth analysis, ensures that it will be a valuable resource for scholars and fans alike, fostering a deeper understanding of the cultural implications of fandom.

"A magisterial book, which expands the range of examples in the discussion, opens up a range of new questions, and poses some provocative new conceptual models. Many established scholars (myself among them) are going to spend many hours rebutting or revising some of his claims, but we are also going to appreciate the catalyst he provides for us to question and rethink our own positions. Let the sparks fly!"

Henry Jenkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology


"This is an important, critical contribution to debates on fandom. Sandvoss expertly introduces and analyses key works in fan studies, but more than that, Fans: The Mirror of Consumption offers its own intriguing new theories of fan interpretation. A must-read book for anyone interested in how media texts can come to mean so much to so many people."

Matt Hills, Cardiff University

"This book develops the study of fandom in significant new directions, integrating analyses of social, psychological and textual processes. It will serve as a benchmark for future research on audiences, fans and textuality, and should be widely read."

Brian Longhurst, University of Salford

ISBN: 9780745629728

Dimensions: 236mm x 158mm x 22mm

Weight: 425g

224 pages