Collection
Fan Activism and Community: Case Studies in Connected Learning
This collection of case studies features three communities who build on fan interests and engagement to unite, inspire, and drive social change. These communities include Harry Potter enthusiasts, StarCraft gamers, and wrestling fans who use their shared passions as springboards for creative production and building peer-supported communities of learning. In some cases, fans even leverage their shared interests toward activism and political action.
Each case study examines a different expression of fan activism or fan-centered connected learning; these examples include groups who raise awareness about problems of social equality, literacy, and human rights, as well as fan communities who foster academic and life-relevant skills such as digital media production, communication and management skills, and traditional academic skills such as writing. While some of the case studies focus more directly on supporting and empowering those within their community of fans, others harness their shared interests to change the world around them.
