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Sitcoms uppgift är att förmedla humor genom att representera stereotyper i samhället (Millis, 2005). Vissa forskare har en mer positiv ingång till användandet av stereotyper i sitcoms (Marcin, 2011), medan andra ställer sig kritiska till det (Biagi, 2001). Den kritiska ingången motiveras med att stereotyper felrepresenteras. Aktuella debatter har bidragit till diskussioner som påvisar att vi lever i ett “PK-samhälle”, där det inte längre är accepterat att skämta om allt (Sharf, 2023). Syftet med denna studie är att studera och jämföra mottagandet av skämt om stereotyper i sitcoms, i olika generationer och vid olika grader av seriekännedom. Detta görs genom en kombination av semistrukturerade intervjuer och receptionsanalys där fem utvalda scener från tv- serien Friends representerar de olika stereotyperna; etnicitet, objektifiering, genus, kroppsideal samt klass. Dessa används för att kunna läsa av tittarens reaktioner och anledningen till dessa, för att sedan kunna ta reda på hur väl sitcoms har åldrats. Studien utförs med stöd i de teoretiska ramverken: stereotyper, representation, receptionsteori, polysemi, intersektionalitet, humorteorier och fandom. Deltagarna i studien var fyra personer födda 1981-2005, benämns “Generation A”, samt fyra personer födda 1945-1980, benämns “Generation B”. Hälften av deltagarna i varje generation har seriekännedom och andra hälften har inte det. Genom att undersöka mottagande av stereotyper i sitcomen Friends mellan generationer kan det påvisa om sitcomen åldrats väl, samt om mottagandet påverkas av seriekännedom eller ytterligare faktorer.  Studien resulterade i att mottagandet varierade på grund av respondenternas tidigare bakgrund och erfarenheter samt seriekännedom. Den humoristiska faktorn utgörs av element som överraskning, igenkänning, att känna sig överlägsen en person eller situation samt att ha undertryckta känslor och rädslor. Vid avfärdade skämt hittades bakomliggande faktorer som avsaknad av seriekännedom, överraskningsmoment samt konsekvenser av problematiska skämt. Viss skillnad kunde ses i hur de olika generationerna resonerade och värderade stereotyper, men båda generationerna enades i att majoriteten av de stereotypa skämten inte hade fungerat i dagens “PK-samhälle”. Den tydligaste avvikandet i mottagandet var på stereotypen klass där samtliga respondenter accepterade skämt om detta. Baserat på resultatet dras slutsatsen att sitcomen inte åldrats väl. / The task of the sitcom is to convey humor by representing stereotypes in society (Millis, 2005). Some researchers have a more positive approach to the use of stereotypes in the sitcom (Marcin, 2011), while others are critical of it (Biagi, 2001). The critical input is justified by the misrepresentation of stereotypes. Current debates have contributed to discussions that show that we live in a "politically correct society", where it is no longer acceptable to joke about all topics (Sharf, 2023). The aim of this study is to examine and compare the reception of jokes about stereotypes in sitcoms, in different generations and at different degrees of serial knowledge. This is done through a combination of semi-structured interviews and reception analysis where five selected scenes from the tv series Friends represent the different stereotypes; ethnicity, objectification, gender, body ideals and class. These are used to read the viewer's reactions and the reason for these, in order to then find out how well the sitcom has aged. The study is carried out with support in the theoretical frameworks: stereotypes, representation, reception theory, polysemy, intersectionality, humor theories and fandom. Participating in the study were four people born 1981-2005, labeled “Generation A”, and four people born 1945-1980, labeled “Generation B”. Half of the participants in each generation have serial knowledge and the other half do not. By examining the reception of stereotypes in the sitcom Friends between generations, it can show whether a sitcom has aged well, and whether the reception is influenced by series awareness or additional factors. The result of the study shows that the reception varied due to the respondents' previous background and experiences as well as serial knowledge. The humorous factor consists of elements such as surprise, recognition, feeling superior to a person or situation, and having repressed emotions and fears. If jokes were dismissed, underlying factors such as lack of serial knowledge, elements of surprise and consequences of problematic jokes were found. Some differences appeared in how the generations reasoned and valued the stereotypes, but both generations agreed that the majority of the stereotypical jokes had not worked in today's “politically correct society". The clearest deviation in reception was regarding the stereotype class where all respondents accepted jokes about this. Based on the results, it is concluded that sitcoms have not aged well.

Behind the Star-Spangled Banners curtain – an ethnological analysis of the musical Hamilton The purpose of this study is to analyze how imagined communities are constructed in the musical Hamilton (2015) and how this affects a Swedish versus an American audience’s view of the American Revolution. Through five-semi structured interviews and one participatory observation from a constructivist point of view and Benedict Andersons theory regarding imagined communities I have investigated the following questions: How is the history and the hero constructed in the musical Hamilton? How does American nationalism differ from Swedish nationalism according to the participants of the study? In what way is the audience affected by the historiography portrayed in the musical Hamilton?    The results of the study show that there is a marked difference in the view a Swedish versus an American audience have regarding Hamilton. Where’s an American audience can feel and experience the history they are presented with; a Swedish audience tends to participate in a passive matter because of the imagined communities between countries in West. It also shows popular cultures impact on the construction of identity and communities, ultimately leading to the participation in an imagined community.

Identical twins John and Edward Grimes (artist name "Jedward") have been active for six years and have a heterogeneous following of fans. This thesis aims to investigate how and in which situations fans think about Jedward as part of their everyday life. Each of the three informants, plus the author, kept diaries recording the above for the course of one week. The diaries were subsequently coded into the groups Traditional Fandom, Social Media, Music, Places, Family & Friends, Interests & Hobbies, Studies, Film & TV and Food & Drink respectively. Auto-ethnographic method was implemented and combined with work within the spheres of fandom and music. At a later date informants were asked if there are any products or causes that they associate with John and Edward; in lieu of comprehensive answers, the author compiled such a list. For the fours fans taking part, John and Edward are experienced as being close to them in many different situations during their day-to-day lives, in much the same way as a close friend or loved one. The conclusion is that through aiming to portray my own interpretation of fandom, it has been possible to see just how creative and imaginative fans are, an enlightening reflection contrary to those which in many cases have been none too positive.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” (Swedish title “Glamour”) and its viewers/fans and to understand on a deeper level how their communication looks like on the social media. The study also discusses partly the aspect of power between the mass media that in some way have an influence on the soap opera and its fans. The basis for this has also been the fans conversations in the social media.To answer the purpose of the essay, I specified it in the form of three following questions: “How does the Swedish “The Bold and the Beautiful” fandom is being design through their communicative actions on the social media?", “What kind of “fan-talk” the Swedish “The Bold and the Beautiful” fans are being engage on Facebook?” and “How can the power relationship between “The Bold and the Beautiful“ fans and different media be understood from the “fan-talk” and construction of the fandom that can be found on Facebook?”To examine the purpose of the essay and get answers to my questions I looked closely at the Swedish fans of the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful”. I have chosen to investigate two Facebook groups: ”Glamour ettan - en del av Glamoursällskapet” och ”Glamoursällskapet 2.0”.The method used is a form of netnography where the data has been analyzed by qualitative content analysis.Social TV is a phenomenon in which television viewers use social media to discuss with other media users specific media content. “The Bold and the Beautiful” fans in my study uses Facebook to discuss, argue and debate about the soap opera thus making “The Bold and the Beautiful” to a social TV. The social TV created a new kind of audience so called the social audience, which is a result of a change within the new media development. The process of change is itself based on interactivity through social networks. The study describes the characteristics of a fan, a person whose activities expands wider than just watching a particular television program. If a person chooses to devote their own time to discuss media content that is available on the classic media channels with other media users, he becomes conscious or unconscious, a fan. Members of both study groups are an example of the social audience.The study shows that previous research from mainly Fiske (1992) and Jenkins (1992) on fans and fandom, confirms their results how a fandom constructs itself. From the perspective of how the opportunities and conditions for fans to communicate have changed, it is remarkable that recent years facilitated by use of the social media. The study shows that social media today is the main arena for fan-talk. Regarding the power aspect the study shows a clear relationship between the fans and the media. The fans want to be able to influence the media to raise the attention of the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” through various activities. / Syftet med den här uppsatsen var att undersöka såpoperan ”Glamour” och dess tittare/fans samt att förstå på ett djupare plan hur fansens kommunikation förekom på sociala medier. Studien diskuterar även till viss del den maktaspekt som finns i relationen mellan de massmedier som på något sätt har inflytande på såpoperan och dess fans. Utgångspunkten för detta har även varit fansens samtal i de sociala medierna.För att besvara uppsatsens syfte preciserade jag den i form av tre frågor: ”Hur konstruerar sig en svensk ”Glamour”-fandom genom sina kommunikativa handlingar på Facebook?”, ”Vilka typer av ”fan-talk”/fandiskussioner ägnar sig svenska ”Glamour” fans åt på Facebook?” samt ”Hur kan maktrelationen mellan svenska ”Glamour” fansen och de olika massmedierna förstås utifrån de fandiskussioner och de fandomskonstruktioner som går att finna på Facebook?”För att undersöka uppsatsens syfte och få svar på mina frågeställningar, tittade jag närmare på svenska fans av såpoperan ”Glamour” genom att undersöka två Facebook-grupper: ”Glamour ettan - en del av Glamoursällskapet” och ”Glamoursällskapet 2.0”. Metoden för undersökningen är en form av netnografi där data har analyserats genom en kvalitativa innehållsanalys.Den sociala teven är ett fenomen där tevetittare använder sig av olika sociala medier för att diskutera och resonera med andra medieanvändare kring ett specifikt medieinnehåll. Glamourfansen i min undersökning använder sig av Facebook för att diskutera, resonera och debattera kring såpoperan vilket således gör ”Glamour” till en social teve. Den sociala teven skapade en ny sorts publik nämligen den sociala publiken, som är ett resultat av en förändringsprocess inom den nya medieutvecklingen. Förändringsprocessen är i sig baserat på en interaktivitet via de sociala nätverken. I studien beskrivs det som kännetecknar ett fan, en person vems aktiviteter utvidgar sig bredare än bara att titta på ett specifikt teveprogram. Om en person väljer att ägna egen tid åt att diskutera och resonera medieinnehåll med andra medieanvändare som finns på de klassiska mediekanalerna, blir han medveten eller omedveten, ett fan. Medlemmar i båda undersökta Facebook-grupperna är ett exempel på den nya sociala publiken.I studien framkommer att tidigare forskning ifrån främst Fiske (1992) och Jenkins (1992) om fans och fandom kulkturen, får bekräftelse i sina resultat hur en fandom konstruerar sig. Detta är anmärkningsvärt ur perspektivet hur möjligheterna och förutsättningarna för fans att kommunicera de senaste åren underlättats så markant genom sociala medier. Studien visar att sociala medier i dag är huvudarenan för fandiskussioner. Gällande maktaspekten så visar studien att en tydlig relation mellan fans och massmedier finns. Fansen vill kunna påverka massmedia att höja uppmärksamheten hos såpoperan Glamour genom olika aktiviteter.

Fan fiction, the most popular creative outlet for fans, allows the amateur writer an opportunity to be published and receive immediate feedback from peers. As educators, we can learn from the fan communities as they participate in online activities, especially fan fiction. Students are more likely to embrace entertaining and creative assignments. And since much of the world is linked to the Internet in one way or another, we can allow students an opportunity to not only improve their writing skills, but also enhance their knowledge of the Internet and its capabilities. My study included online interviews with fan fiction writers and readers as well as the examination of fan fiction texts and websites. By exploring this relatively unknown genre of writing and reading, I believe teachers of composition can use fan fiction to their advantage by encouraging students to write creatively using subject matter that interests them in some way.

Lucie Cupalová - Master's Thesis The Slash Factor: Characteristics and Varieties of Slash Fan Fiction Abstract The aim of the thesis is to discuss specific characteristics of slash fan fiction, both as a subgenre of fan fiction and as a literary and social phenomenon. These characteristics are summarised as the "slash factor" of "slash texts". The beginning of the theoretical part focuses on the history and development of (slash) fan fiction, its various definitions and its role as a specific genre in literature. It summarises the basic premises and principles of fan fiction and explains them on slash fan fiction in particular. Sedgwick's homosocial - homosexual continuum in society is discussed, as well as its understanding and application on same-sex interactions, and several reasons for the reading and writing of slash fan fiction and its appeal are suggested. The main part of the thesis analyses actual slash fan fiction in three different fandoms: Harry Potter, Sherlock (Holmes), and Nightrunners. Each of them offers a different set of characters and slash tropes. Similarities and differences are sought in the stories written in different fandoms. Moreover, the Nightrunner series is analysed as an example of professionally published "slash text" which already features a gay couple as the main...

Thesis advisor: Juliet Schor / As cult, quality, and mainstream television have merged, a new breed of show has evolved; such shows raise complicated themes and incorporate deep meanings. Drawing from Abercrombie and Longhurst’s (1998) audience continuum, this study focuses on the more casual portion of fandom previously overlooked in fan studies. These “everyday fans” differ from their cultist and enthusiast counterparts by limiting television to a hobby, not engaging in creative production, and not seeking out fan networks. The interviews with sixteen everyday fans as well as four cultists/enthusiasts ground Lost fandom in previous fan traditions and also explore the experience of a previously overlooked segment of the audience. Using ABC's LOST, this study shows how mainstream, everyday fans often unconsciously think about practical and profound issues of everyday philosophy simply by following characters and storylines. In effect, viewers of the show become "accidental intellectuals." LOST raises issues of love, redemption, science versus faith and good versus evil. The interviews with everyday fans reflect that viewers were not only using critical thinking in puzzling out the show’s mysteries but also engaging in deep analysis, personal identification, and the pondering of profound moral dilemmas through the medium of the characters, often without realizing it. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology Honors Program. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Sociology.

Syfte: Studiens syfte är att belysa och analysera, men även att problematisera hur podcasten kan fungera som arena för identitetsskapande och dess funktion för de unga vuxnas fansutövande. Ett viktigt initialläge är att identitetsskapandet i synnerhet är något som äger rum i vardagen. Vi har i vår studie använt Alex & Sigges podcast och dess fans som ett fallstudium, med avsikt att ge kunskap och lärdomar för ett större område.  Frågeställningar:  Hur kan man tolka och förstå Alex och Sigges följarskara utifrån idéer om fandom? Vilken betydelse beskriver de unga vuxna följarna att Alex & Sigges podcast har för deras identitetsskapande? Metod och material: Kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer med åtta unga vuxna i åldrarna 20-30. Huvudresultat: Alex & Sigges podcast inbegriper olika delar av livet som fansen kan känna igen sig i och föra över till sina egna liv och identiteter.