Open AccessThe fan-historian
Author(s) -
E. Charlotte Stevens,
Nick Webber
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
transformative works and cultures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1941-2258
DOI - 10.3983/twc.2022.2125
Subject(s) - transformative learning , work (physics) , power (physics) , fan in , usable , history , sociology , visual arts , aesthetics , art , engineering , computer science , world wide web , mechanical engineering , pedagogy , physics , quantum mechanics
The compound term fan-historian may be used to describe fans who engage in a wide range of memory, archival, and other past-focused fan work, which helps make sense of the past and makes it usable for their communities. Fan-historians may thus be described in an inclusive way that recognizes the common practices that exist between the work of fans and historians; both take curatorial and transformative approaches to knowledge. This formulation also emphasizes the fact that fans are participants in historical work, not merely its subjects. Fan-historians thus work as both fans and historians to produce fan-historical work. This labor is centrally important to fan communities and vital in light of the established links between history and power.