Open AccessSites of participation: Wiki fandom and the case of Lostpedia
Author(s) -
Jason Mittell
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
transformative works and cultures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1941-2258
DOI - 10.3983/twc.2009.0118
Subject(s) - fandom , praxis , trace (psycholinguistics) , creativity , sociology , digital content , media studies , content (measure theory) , aesthetics , visual arts , computer science , world wide web , art , political science , law , linguistics , philosophy , mathematical analysis , mathematics
This essay explores the award-winning fan site Lostpedia to examine how the wiki platform enables fan engagement, structures participation, and distinguishes between various forms of content, including canon, fanon, and parody. I write as a participant-observer, with extensive experience as a Lostpedia reader and editor. The article uses the "digital breadcrumbs" of wikis to trace the history of fan creativity, participation, game play, and debates within a shared site of community fan engagement. Using the Lostpedia site as a case study of fan praxis, the article highlights how issues like competing fandoms, copyright, and modes of discourse become manifest via the user-generated content of a fan wiki