Hypothetical Fan Extension Courses
Aug. 21st, 2006 04:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sub_dividedDeadline for the next run of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
fan_extension courses is August 27th. I'm already overscheduled next semester T_T so I thought I'd teach one. Right now I'm looking at two that could be okay.
The Evolution of Fanon
This would open with a short definition of "fanon" and a call for students to introduce themselves with the most bizarre, anti-canonical fanon they can remember encountering.
Also, a description of course requirements: to pass, must turn in "final project," an account of the introduction and adoption of one piece of fanon, preferably with names, told entertainingly. If students don't feel up to this they can participate in all of the discussions instead (instructor preference, however, is for submission of final project). Following this course should suggest avenues of research for the clueless, if I'm doing it right.
Session 2. Two kinds of fanon: details of character or backstory that are "adopted" by the greater fandom (ex: Hiei likes ice cream), fic that establishes characters/pairings in ways that are imitated and, eventually, parodied by other writers. Discussion of the power of early writers, whether fanon is inevitable, what's the difference between details invented by fans and details gleaned from extra-canonical sources, for instance series guidebooks or specials.
Session 3. What gives rise to fanon. Do certain kinds of fandoms, kinds of series, encourage it more than others? (Alternately, do certain series discourage it?) Is there a "critical mass" fandom size that basically ensures it? Have attitudes toward fanon changed (that is, was it more acceptable in the old school)? Remember to distinguish between two kinds of fanon.
Session 4. Case study: adoption of useful detail. I don't actually have a case study to talk about here, anyone want to suggest one? Remember, this is detail, so the rise of Eriol/Tomoyo is out, the rise of Kagome's claw kink is in.
Session 5. Case study: "template" stories in Naruto fandom. The Neji/Hinata story upon which all other Neji/Hinata stories are based, ditto Neji and birds, Naruto/Ino, Kakashi/Sasuke. Examples of three stages of fic-writing (one: powerul, two: copycat, three: parody).
Session 6. Official adoption of fanon: The Leroy Jenkins Saga. XD (Leroy Jenkins was in widely-linked World of Warcraft parody video. Then he made it into a Jeapordy question. When the World of Warcraft trading cards came out, he was on one.) Concluding remarks.
Session 7. Submission of final projects.
This is Science, yo. This is Serious Buisiness.
In this course we will be conducting Serious Scientific Research. There will be five projects, each lasting one month. To pass, participants must sign up for and contribute to at least two of these projects. Sign-ups will remain open until the end of the third month.
One: Scientific Analysis of the Intelligence of Various Fandoms.
Using textual analysis tools like the flesch-kincaid grade level test, we will determine which fandom is the smrtest.
Two: Scientific Analysis of the Craziness of Various Fandoms.
We assume that general craziness is the sum total of individual craziness. To determine this, we respectfully invite the members of various fandoms to fill out a short questionaire (read: online quiz). Given the seriousness of our research, only completely accurate and sober quizzes like "What kind of bishonen are you?" or "What's your Hybrid Harry Potter House?" will be considered.
Three: Scientific Analysis of Fan Production by Fandom.
We will break down the output of several large fan communities to determine which produce the greatest percenatages of the following: fan art, fan fic, fan vids, discussion, cosplay. Pie graphs will be utilized.
Four: Scientific Analysis of Preferred Pairing Type by Series
We will examine the prevalence of various pairings on fanfiction.net. For each fandom, the first 100 fanfics whose pairings are clearly identified will be considered. Will we then examine the results for correspondances across fandoms. Will rivalslash reign supreme? Mary sue-fic? Additional factors such as influential BNFs, influential reccers, and Japanese fandom preferences where applicable will also be considered.
Five: Suggestions?
----
Tari and V[1] said I should poll this, so here, have a poll:
[Poll #801022]
Questions? Suggestions? Bueller?
[1] WHO ARE AWESOME. We met in New York yesterday and did the bookstore/comicshop/bookstore/cafe thing[2].![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tarigwaemir, I'm glad I could meet you in person again. falxumbra, we should meet again before the end of the summer. I'll be back in NJ from the 28th to the 31st, maybe we could arrange a dorky dance videogame party on one of those days? DDR is in Michigan but I still have In the Groove, maybe O, N, F could be convinced to come.
[2] Haul:
Cantarella vol 1-3 (You Higuri)
Scott Pilgrim vol 1 and 3 (Bryan Lee O'Malley)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Alexander McCall Smith)
Fifth Buisiness (Robertson Davies)
Dictionary of the Khazars (Milord Pavic')
fan_extension courses is August 27th. I'm already overscheduled next semester T_T so I thought I'd teach one. Right now I'm looking at two that could be okay. The Evolution of Fanon
This would open with a short definition of "fanon" and a call for students to introduce themselves with the most bizarre, anti-canonical fanon they can remember encountering.
Also, a description of course requirements: to pass, must turn in "final project," an account of the introduction and adoption of one piece of fanon, preferably with names, told entertainingly. If students don't feel up to this they can participate in all of the discussions instead (instructor preference, however, is for submission of final project). Following this course should suggest avenues of research for the clueless, if I'm doing it right.
Session 2. Two kinds of fanon: details of character or backstory that are "adopted" by the greater fandom (ex: Hiei likes ice cream), fic that establishes characters/pairings in ways that are imitated and, eventually, parodied by other writers. Discussion of the power of early writers, whether fanon is inevitable, what's the difference between details invented by fans and details gleaned from extra-canonical sources, for instance series guidebooks or specials.
Session 3. What gives rise to fanon. Do certain kinds of fandoms, kinds of series, encourage it more than others? (Alternately, do certain series discourage it?) Is there a "critical mass" fandom size that basically ensures it? Have attitudes toward fanon changed (that is, was it more acceptable in the old school)? Remember to distinguish between two kinds of fanon.
Session 4. Case study: adoption of useful detail. I don't actually have a case study to talk about here, anyone want to suggest one? Remember, this is detail, so the rise of Eriol/Tomoyo is out, the rise of Kagome's claw kink is in.
Session 5. Case study: "template" stories in Naruto fandom. The Neji/Hinata story upon which all other Neji/Hinata stories are based, ditto Neji and birds, Naruto/Ino, Kakashi/Sasuke. Examples of three stages of fic-writing (one: powerul, two: copycat, three: parody).
Session 6. Official adoption of fanon: The Leroy Jenkins Saga. XD (Leroy Jenkins was in widely-linked World of Warcraft parody video. Then he made it into a Jeapordy question. When the World of Warcraft trading cards came out, he was on one.) Concluding remarks.
Session 7. Submission of final projects.
This is Science, yo. This is Serious Buisiness.
In this course we will be conducting Serious Scientific Research. There will be five projects, each lasting one month. To pass, participants must sign up for and contribute to at least two of these projects. Sign-ups will remain open until the end of the third month.
One: Scientific Analysis of the Intelligence of Various Fandoms.
Using textual analysis tools like the flesch-kincaid grade level test, we will determine which fandom is the smrtest.
Two: Scientific Analysis of the Craziness of Various Fandoms.
We assume that general craziness is the sum total of individual craziness. To determine this, we respectfully invite the members of various fandoms to fill out a short questionaire (read: online quiz). Given the seriousness of our research, only completely accurate and sober quizzes like "What kind of bishonen are you?" or "What's your Hybrid Harry Potter House?" will be considered.
Three: Scientific Analysis of Fan Production by Fandom.
We will break down the output of several large fan communities to determine which produce the greatest percenatages of the following: fan art, fan fic, fan vids, discussion, cosplay. Pie graphs will be utilized.
Four: Scientific Analysis of Preferred Pairing Type by Series
We will examine the prevalence of various pairings on fanfiction.net. For each fandom, the first 100 fanfics whose pairings are clearly identified will be considered. Will we then examine the results for correspondances across fandoms. Will rivalslash reign supreme? Mary sue-fic? Additional factors such as influential BNFs, influential reccers, and Japanese fandom preferences where applicable will also be considered.
Five: Suggestions?
----
Tari and V[1] said I should poll this, so here, have a poll:
[Poll #801022]
Questions? Suggestions? Bueller?
[1] WHO ARE AWESOME. We met in New York yesterday and did the bookstore/comicshop/bookstore/cafe thing[2].
tarigwaemir, I'm glad I could meet you in person again. falxumbra, we should meet again before the end of the summer. I'll be back in NJ from the 28th to the 31st, maybe we could arrange a dorky dance videogame party on one of those days? DDR is in Michigan but I still have In the Groove, maybe O, N, F could be convinced to come.[2] Haul:
Cantarella vol 1-3 (You Higuri)
Scott Pilgrim vol 1 and 3 (Bryan Lee O'Malley)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Alexander McCall Smith)
Fifth Buisiness (Robertson Davies)
Dictionary of the Khazars (Milord Pavic')