scholarly journals From Dalek half balls to Daft Punk helmets: Mimetic fandom and the crafting of replicas

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Hills
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
Fan Studies ◽  
Oscillatory Activity ◽  
Collaborative Creativity ◽  
Fan Practices ◽  
Material Artifacts

Mimetic fandom is a surprisingly understudied mode of (culturally masculinized) fan activity in which fans research and craft replica props. Mimetic fandom can be considered as (in)authentic and (im)material, combining noncommercial status with grassroots marketing or brand reinforcement as well as fusing an emphasis on material artifacts with Web 2.0 collective intelligence. Simply analyzing mimetic fandom as part of fannish material culture fails to adequately assess the nonmaterial aspects of this collaborative creativity. Two fan cultures are taken as case studies: Dalek building groups and Daft Punk helmet constructors. These diverse cases indicate that mimetic fandom has a presence and significance that moves across media fandoms and is not restricted to the science fiction, fantasy, and horror followings with which it is most often associated. Mimetic fandom may be theorized as an oscillatory activity that confuses binaries and constructions of (academic/fan) authenticity. This fan practice desires and pursues a kind of ontological bridging or unity—from text to reality—that is either absent or less dominant in many other fan activities such as cosplay, screen-used prop collecting, and geographical pilgrimage. Fan studies may benefit from reassessing the place of mimesis, especially in order to theorize fan practices that are less clearly transformative in character.

Syncretisms

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa Adrych ◽  
Robert Bracey ◽  
Dominic Dalglish ◽  
Stefanie Lenk ◽  
Rachel Wood
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
Main Theme ◽  
Ancient Religion

The Conclusion to this volume returns to the three main questions posed in the Introduction, examining how a shared name, alongside material culture, can affect our understanding of ancient religious practices. The first section explores the benefits of a collaborative and comparative endeavour, drawing out examples from the earlier chapters and showing how they informed our perceptions of what a name can mean. The second and third parts ask more theoretical questions about how we can use our case studies to explore broader problems of interpreting ancient religious practices, and the role of objects within them. Finally, we return to the main theme of the volume: the name Mithra, and the ideas, expectations, and traditions that have been attached to it in antiquity and in modern scholarship. We suggest a new way of approaching the phenomenon of the shared name, and what that can entail for those interested in ancient religion.

Biology and Manners

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
American Literature ◽  
Disability Studies ◽  
Fan Studies ◽  
Contemporary American Literature ◽  
Contemporary Science ◽  
The Us ◽  
Main Series ◽  
Current Concerns ◽  
The Red Queen

This volume is a new collection of scholarly essays on the US science fiction and fantasy writer Lois McMaster Bujold. The collection argues for the significant contributions Bujold’s works make to feminist and queer thought, disability studies, and fan studies. In addition, it suggests the importance of Bujold to contemporary American literature. The volume continues the establishment of Bujold as an important author of contemporary science fiction and fantasy. It argues that her corpus spans the distance between two full arcs of US feminism and has anticipated or responded to several of its current concerns in ways that invite or even require theoretical exploration. As well as papers on earlier work in the main series (the Vorkosigan Saga and the ‘Worlds of the Five Gods’ novels The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls), the collection also presents work on recent publications such as The Sharing Knife sequence; the ‘Penric and Desdemona’ novellas; and the recent Vorkosigan Saga novel Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. The collection deepens feminist research in Bujold studies by incorporating queer and disability studies perspectives; and includes historiographic retracing of scholarship on Bujold’s work.

Comments on Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes: Toward a Creative Social Web for Learners and Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Social Web ◽  
Community Knowledge ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Innovation Research ◽  
Collaborative Creativity ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Web

This article commenting on Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes (2009) examines the potential strengths and weaknesses of Web 2.0 in supporting student collaborative creativity in light of sociocultural conditions of knowledge creation. Weaknesses and challenges are identified related to the embedded and dispersed representation of community knowledge, weak commitment and support to sustained progress, judging of contributions on the basis of popularity instead of advancement, and the conflict between the chaotic emergent Web and rigidly organized schooling. Discussion is extended to the use of the Web for supporting teacher learning and innovation. Research questions are identified calling for design-based research to advance both pedagogy and technology design.

scholarly journals Appropriateness and appropriation: examining Modernist couture connections to Edwardian lingerie and boudoir clothing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Zygowski
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Practitioner Research ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Female Agency ◽  
Design Exploration ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Cultural Commodification ◽  
Cultural Requirements ◽  
Material Artifacts ◽  
Research Show

This research explores material artifacts of Edwardian lingerie and Modernist couture through their cultural and material connections. Material culture theories of communication and production were used to examine garment artifacts from both Eras, while a conceptual framework provided a space to develop material outcomes and knowledge based upon research. Key findings from the research show that the cultural commodification of the female body, increased female agency and the fragmentation of social structures resulted in the development of specialized garments uniquely suited to the cultural requirements of the Modernist Era. Cultural producers continually adapted design practices and transformed dress signifiers of value in a cycle of appropriation and transformation. In addition, the appropriation of labour intensive Edwardian Era Lingerie techniques by Modernist couture houses supported the development of exclusive commodities whose design process was key to preventing devaluation through counterfeiting. Ultimately, a collection of garments resulted from a design exploration of these techniques, using action and practitioner research.

Smart Planning

2018 ◽  
pp. 601-632
Author(s):  
Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
Web 2.0 Tools ◽  
Application Field ◽  
Planning Culture ◽  
Technology Trend ◽  
Characteristic Process

This chapter discusses the ability of new technologies to support collective intelligence. The technology trend brought into the spotlight is Web 2.0 because it has a great potential to contribute to the refined understanding of planning issues. Such an application field can be called Collective Intelligence 2.0 with crowdsourcing as its characteristic process. This chapter discusses how such an intelligence and crowd-sourced knowledge can be utilized in smartening up urban planning. Crowdsourcing has been experimented in urban planning since the late 2000s, most notably in the forms of wikiplanning, participatory sensing, and co-creation. By combining theoretical insights and empirical evidence, this chapter concludes that Web 2.0 tools can be used to increase various forms of social and collective intelligence and, especially when the precondition of citizen-centered open planning culture is met, have undeniable potential to smarten up urban planning.

A Social Bookmarking-Based People Search Service

2012 ◽  
pp. 174-186
Author(s):  
Jeff J.S. Huang ◽  
Stephen J.H. Yang ◽  
Jeng C.C Chen ◽  
Irene Y.S. Li ◽  
Indy Y.T. Hsiao
Keyword(s):  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Social Bookmarking ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Internet Resources ◽  
Search Service ◽  
Interactive Relationship ◽  
People Search

The emergence of Web 2.0 has brought along the trend of community. It is also the trend that contributes to socialization of the Internet. The essence of Web 2.0 is creation and sharing which give rise to social networking communities such as Blog, Wikipedia and Facebook. Through Wikipedia, Blogs, Facebook and other kinds of social networking websites, interactive relationship and bridge of knowledge sharing have been built up successfully. This paper attempts to propose an effective way to locate people with shared interests. By using Internet resources bookmarked by the users, the similarity of interests between them can be analyzed. Based on this relationship, people could build communities. Also, through community activities, the innovation and exchange of collective intelligence are accomplished.

Quantitative Evaluation of Web2.0 Application

2016 ◽  
pp. 357-386
Author(s):  
Jibitesh Mishra ◽  
Kabita Rani Naik
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Quantitative Evaluation ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Web Applications ◽  
Collective Intelligence ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
Professional Business ◽  
Questionnaire Method ◽  
New Generation

Web 2.0 is a new generation of web applications where the users are able to participate, collaborate and share the created artefacts. Web 2.0 is all about the collective intelligence. Web 2.0 applications are widely used for all the educational, professional, business and entertainment purposes. But a methodology for quantitative evaluation of web2.0 application quality is still not available. With the advancement of web technology various dimensions to evaluate web2.0 application quality is changing. So studies will be made to select a quality model that is required for web 2.0 application. Then the quantitative analysis will be done on the basis of questionnaire method and statistical formula. Quantitative analysis is necessary to know the weakness and strength of a website and then to improve the web quality. Quantitative evaluation can also be used for comparing two or more websites. In this study, quantitative analysis is done for each quality attribute of two social networking sites. Then the two sites are compared on the basis of the quantitative value of quality.

A Context-Based Approach to Web 2.0 and Language Education

2009 ◽  
pp. 119-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Motteram ◽  
Susan Brown
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Web 2.0 Tools ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Manchester

Web 2.0 offers potentially powerful tools for the field of language education. As language teacher tutors exploring Web 2.0 with participants on an MA in Educational Technology and TESOL at the University of Manchester, UK, we see that the potential of Web 2.0 is intimately linked with teachers’ perceptions of their teaching contexts. This chapter will describe a “context-based” approach to the exploration of Web 2.0 on a module focusing on the potential role of distributed courseware in language education. It will begin by giving an overall picture of where and how the exploration of Web 2.0 tools fits into the MA program. It will then describe the main aims and aspects of the module and discuss in some detail our context-based approach in relation to participants as well as Web 2.0 in existing literature. The chapter will conclude with two case studies concerning how teachers incorporate Web 2.0 technologies in courseware for their contexts.

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