Identity And Power Relationship Of Fans And Fostered Idols On New Media Platforms

As the outcome of “post-Gramsci stance” in cultural study,western scholars had the early exploration in the study of fan culture.With the accelerated development of economy and industrialization,marketization of entertainment has also extended into the field of culture.As the representative part of popular culture,fan culture has been paid more attention these years.For a long time,fans were seen as “pathological” and “excessive” by the public,media or even academia.They are marginalized as the rebellion subculture groups.However,in current studies of popular culture,fan behaviors are not seen as practices of minorities,but as common activities and social trends.Therefore,it is not proper to study fans in the pathological way.With traditional regulations,on media platforms,fan behavior is an individual activity which hasn't been socialized.On account of the open up of information and mass entertainment as well as the innovation and popularization of social media,fans come onto the stage in groups,forming their own cultural systems and making themselves an important part of popular culture.As media landscape is changing rapidly,social media gains more popularity among fans,with new features added to fan culture on media platforms.The relationship between fans and idols are changing,with the stress on “sense of participation”,and it becomes a two-way interactive relationship with fans as the active subjects rather than passive objects.And it is social media that provides a broader platform and more possibilities for fan practices.Social media thus sets up a bridge between idols and fans for mutual communication.With the emergence of “fostered idols”,fans are now transformed from “idolaters” to “idol-makers”,enriching fan culture with new characteristics.Based on textual analysis,and taking the representative fostered idols as illustrative content,this thesis will provide an overall look at the origin and development of fostered idols,and the operation of fan communities on social media platforms.It conducts a thorough analysis on the construction of identities of fans and fan groups,and explores the multiple relationship between fans and idols.