Matt Hills - 'Fan Cultures'

Hills, Matt (2002) Fan Cultures. London: Routledge, pp37-59.

In this extract Hills wishes to outline and explore the limitations and difficulties of using the methodology of ethnography when researching fandom. He openings up the article by expressing that fans are often unable to justify why they are a fan of a particular media text stating that the pleasure some fans receive can be so intense that it cannot be articulated accurately to the research meaning collected data is inaccurate. Fans are also known for answering research questions defensively being unable to accept criticism for their favourite media texts.

Hills suggests that the best way to collect research regarding fandom is through auto-ethnography. However, this method is not free of problems. Many auto-ethnographic studies tend to stop self-analysis at a certain point in their studies due to refusing the challenge privileged discourses. Some studies also dismiss the influence of friends, family and cultural context by discussing auto-ethnography as being 100% personal.

Wise (1990) points out that fandom does no flourish in a hostile environment and needs to be linked to cultural value even if only within a household or a small group of friends. (God knows how many hours I’ve spent in the pub discussing Lost...) This suggests that all fandom negotiates between the internal self and cultural context.

Hills concludes the article by conducting his own auto-ethnography. He concentrates on his multiple fandoms and creates a diagram outlining media texts he is a fan of and how they have varied over time. This helps him create patterns of his fandom for example ‘Britishness’, cult following and masculinity.  

In conclusion, fan studies can become very difficult as theory fails to accurately describe experience. Most academic studies regarding fan culture focuses on extreme fans, rather than the every-day average person’s media consumption and preferences. Auto-ethnography being the best method when implemented correctly but theorists will constantly be aware of how they’re portraying themselves to the reader by subtly saying to the reader “I’m not one of those losers who go to conventions!”