CFP - Japanese Transnational Fandoms and Female Consumers (U of Wollongong, NSW; 3-4 July 2008) Deadline: 25 Oct 2007

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. We invite papers that discuss female consumers’ uptake of originally Japanese popular cultural styles and artefacts across all regions and media.

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. Papers focusing specifically on the yaoi/BL fandom are particularly welcome.

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.

Other invited speakers include: Professor Chris Berry (Goldsmiths University) speaking on BL fan circles in Shanghai; Dr Kazumi Nagaike (Oita University) speaking on the history and cultural context of Japanese BL fandom; Dr Sharalyn Orbaugh (University of British Columbia) speaking on yaoi influence on the Harry Potter fandom; Dr Larissa Hjorth (RMIT) speaking on “cute customisation” across Japanese and Korean new media; Dr Fran Martin (University of Melbourne) speaking on the BL fandom in Taiwan.

Please send 250 word title and abstract and a short biography to Dr Mark McLelland (markmc@uow.edu.au) and Dr Fran Martin (f.martin@unimelb.edu.au) by 25 October 2007.

A limited number of travel bursaries will be available.

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.