japanese transnational fandoms and female consumers
University of Wollongong (near Sydney, Australia)
3-4 July 2008
This workshop investigates the different ways in which originally Japanese genres, aesthetics and styles have been taken up, deployed and transformed by female fans transnationally. The way in which Japanese products, styles and images are received in different cultures as well as the (sub)cultural ends to which they are deployed will be investigated, as will the impact of the fandom on the changing nature of consumerism, participatory fan culture and particularly gender in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Of particular interest in this workshop is the ‘yaoi’ or ‘boys’ love’ (BL) manga/animation fandom popular with girls and young women. Over the last decade there has been a massive boom in interest in this genre (including commercially translated and published volumes as well as amateur fan-authored productions) in Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
The workshop will result in a themed edition of the journal Intersections: http://wwwsshe.murdoch.edu.au/intersections/ due for release in April 2009.
Keynote speaker: Professor Christine Yano (University of Hawaii) speaking on the global Hello Kitty Fandom.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Dr Kazumi Nagaike (Oita University) speaking on the history and cultural context of Japanese BL fandom;
- Ms Larissa Hjorth (RMIT) speaking on cosplay and gaming in Australia
- Dr Fran Martin (University of Melbourne) speaking on the BL fandom in Taiwan;
- Dr Romit Dasgupta (University of Western Australia) discussing the appeal of Japanese popular culture-influenced discourses of romance and beauty in the region.
Attendance at this event is by invitation only. For details please contact the organizers.
The event organisers are:
Dr Mark McLelland (markmc@uow.edu.au)
Dr Fran Martin (f.martin@unimelb.edu.au)
This event is sponsored by the ARC’s Cultural Research Network and CAPSTRANS (Centre for Asia-Pacific Social Transformation Studies)
at the University of Wollongong
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