{"product_id":"9781473907799-the-secular-religion-of-fandom-sage-swifts","title":"The Secular Religion of Fandom","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePop Culture Pilgrim. A fascinating exploration of ′media pilgrimage′ and what it tells us about our obsessions with celebrity and our desire for meaning and identity in an uncertain world. \u003cp\u003eMedia pilgrimage has become a booming business in the 21st century. Fans of television shows, rock groups and books flock to places associated with their favorite series, artist or writer, trying to embody and perhaps understand what inspired the beloved piece of work, and, more importantly, to cobble together their own personal identity, seeking meaning in an ever-more divergent and fast-paced world.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  At the same time, participation in organized group activities are dropping. One of the largest down turns in the US and the UK can be seen in the steep decline of attendance at traditional religious venues. This trend dovetails with the radical uptick in on-line sites dedicated to pop culture and celebrities, as well as an array of niche-focused real-time tours allowing fans to experience the spaces, places and scenery featured in their favorite entertainment medium.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim\u003c\/strong\u003e examines the function of fandom, specifically the visiting of spaces which have been recently deemed worthy of sanctification and a newly elevated status of importance. It examines how such pilgrimages are used as a means for forming and maintaining a common language of culture, creating a replacement apparatus based on more traditional frameworks of religious worship and salvation, while becoming an ever more dominant mechanism for constructing individuality and finding belonging in a commodified culture.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Looking at television shows such as \u003cem\u003eThe Walking Dead \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eGame of Thrones\u003c\/em\u003e, bands like \u003cem\u003eThe Stone Roses \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eJoy Division\u003c\/em\u003e, and authors like J.K. Rowling and the Brontë sisters, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim\u003c\/strong\u003e delves into these issues by examining spaces, fan communities and rituals, providing a unique and provocative investigation into how technology, media and humanistic need for guidance are forming novel ways of expressing value, forging self and finding significance in an uncertain world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39304250589281,"sku":"9781473907799","price":45.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/products\/b402ecec00374a2da3596eb0c6ae7b6e_c8949d11-eba5-4f3d-ba20-5b9474632ebe.jpg?v=1617884681","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781473907799-the-secular-religion-of-fandom-sage-swifts","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}