This book delves into the world of ''fandom nationalism'', where the lines between fan devotion and nationalistic fervour blur within the East Asian media landscape. Taking a non-Western perspective in fan studies, this book challenges conventional understandings of fandom nationalism. While the concept usually describes how citizens passionately adore their nation akin to idolizing celebrities, this ground-breaking research adds a captivating twist: such passion encompasses not only the expressions of love fans shower upon their idols but also the intense hatred anti-fans direct towards stars -- fans strategically employ nationalism as a weapon to win fan wars. This enriches the concept of fandom nationalism, exploring how fans use participatory censorship practices to accuse celebrities and their followers of problematic political stances, thereby channelling collective nationalist anger to exact revenge on despised celebrities, such as Zhang Zhehan, a ''Boys'' Love'' drama actor who was banned by the authorities and the industry for taking photos at the Yasukuni Shrine in Japan. Through a thorough review of relevant literature and detailed fieldwork data, this book reveals how fans and anti-fans participate in various stages of the banning process, leading to the career downfall of top stars in China. This brutal battleground, akin to cancel culture, is a product of the collusion among fans, netizens, the party-state, media platforms, and businesses, where fans'' participation in nationalist practices can also be performative patriotism, driven by the desire to protect their idols and themselves. Using examples from China and beyond, Fandom Nationalism explores the relationship between fandom and the state more broadly.

Autorentext
Erika Ningxin Wang is Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. Erika's research interests lie at the intersection of youth culture, digital media, and state governance. She has been elected as the Early Career Representative of International Communication Association, Division of Popular Media and Culture. Her recent publications in fan studies appear in Social Media+Society, Asian Studies Review, Communication Culture and Critique, and Celebrity Studies. Qian Huang is Assistant Professor of digital cultures at University of Groningen in The Netherlands. She has published articles on Chinese digital vigilantism, digital visibility, cancel culture in fandom, and nationalism in China on peer-reviewed journals such as International Journal of Cultural Studies, Social Media+Society and International Journal of Communication. She is also a co-author of the book Digital Media, Denunciation and Shaming: The Court of Public Opinion (2025) and a co-editor of the volume Introducing Vigilant Audiences (2020).

Klappentext
This book delves into the world of "fandom nationalism," where the lines between fan devotion and nationalistic fervor blur within the East Asian media landscape.

Taking a non-Western perspective in fan studies, this book challenges conventional understandings of fandom nationalism. While the concept usually describes how citizens passionately adore their nation akin to idolizing celebrities, this ground-breaking research adds a captivating twist: such passion encompasses not only the expressions of love fans shower upon their idols but also the intense hatred anti-fans direct towards stars - fans strategically employ nationalism as a weapon to win fan wars. This enriches the concept of fandom nationalism, exploring how fans use participatory censorship practices to accuse celebrities and their followers of problematic political stances, thereby channeling collective nationalist anger to exact revenge on despised celebrities, such as Zhang Zhehan, a Boys' Love drama actor who was banned by the authorities and the industry for taking photos at the Yasukuni Shrine in Japan.

Through a thorough review of relevant literature and detailed fieldwork data, this book reveals how fans and anti-fans participate in various stages of the banning process, leading to the career downfall of top stars in China. This brutal battleground, akin to cancel culture, is a product of the collusion among fans, netizens, the party-state, media platforms, and businesses, where fans' participation in nationalist practices can also be performative patriotism, driven by the desire to protect their idols and themselves. Using examples from China and beyond, Fandom Nationalism explores the relationship between fandom and the state more broadly.

Inhalt

Authors' Biographies
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Foreword

Introduction

1. The Paths to Contemporary Fandom Nationalism in China
2. Fan Mobilisation and Nationalism in Action
3. Nationalist Fandom Practices as Participatory Censorship

4. Performative Patriotism: Multi-stakeholders' Engagement with Fandom Nationalism
   Conclusion

   Bibliography
   Appendix I: Fan Informants List
   Appendix II: Abbreviations and Glossaries
   Index