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I. Mission Statement
The mission of the Fan and Audience Studies Scholarly Interest Group (SIG) is to promote and advance work in the fields of fan studies, audience studies, and reception studies, to offer a means for those engaged in the fields to converse and collaborate with one another, to provide pedagogical resources, and to support collaborative scholarship between our members and the Society for Cinema and Media Studies membership at large. Fan and Audience Studies is a distinct field in media studies, focusing not just on reception, but also on the important work audiences and fans do in creating both meaning and texts out of the media environment. With the publication of new journals and book series both focused on fan studies, Fan and Audience Studies has evolved from a niche academic subject to a home discipline for an ever-growing number of scholars. In the past, panels focused on fan and audience studies at SCMS have been well-attended, and a growing number of scholars have created informal networks for promoting research on fandom and active audiences. We believe SCMS needs a formal group to support these scholars and promote fan and audience research.
In service of this mission, the Fan and Audience Studies SIG will:
- Promote and support international research into fandom and fan and audience studies
- Compile and present pedagogical information for teachers of fan and audience studies
- Highlight key issues within the fields of fan and audience studies and bring them to the awareness of the SCMS membership through special panels at the annual conference
- Present spaces for discussion about the field during workshops at the SCMS annual conference
- Create opportunities for graduate students to engage with experienced scholars, and for senior scholars to mentor junior scholars
- Encourage the development and refinement of materials for promoting fandom and fan audiences with reporters and scholars seeking informed commentary
- Promote the inclusion of fan and audience scholarship in Cinema Journal and support SCMS initiatives by offering expertise and perspective on fan and audience studies
II. Bylaws
- The members of the Fan and Audience Studies SIG and SIG steering committee shall be members in good standing of the Society for Cinema Media Studies.
- Elections for the Steering Committee will occur annually each Fall via email.
- Two non-graduate student members of the SIG will serve as co-chairs for staggered terms of three years each.
- Three other members (including no more than two graduate students) comprise the remainder of the Steering Committee; the graduate student(s) serves for one year, renewable up to two consecutively if still a registered graduate student.
- Non-graduate student members of the Steering Committee can serve additional three-year terms, but not consecutively.
III. Steering Committee Responsibilities
- The Steering Committee is responsible for developing and endorsing panels and workshops at each conference, including any special SIG panel or workshop sessions.
- The Steering Committee will organize annual meetings to be held at the annual SCMS conference.
- The Steering Committee decides how SIG funds will be spent annually.
- The Steering Committee organizes the selection of a conference liaison member who resides in/near the conference host city who shall manage hospitality and meeting/hospitality locations.
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Contacts:
Bethan Jones (co-chair)
Lori Morimoto (co-chair)
Jaclyn Zhou (graduate student representative)
Simone Driessen (steering committee)
Liang Ge (steering committee)
Bridget Kies (social media coordinator)
