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Fandom Identity Perception In “Self-made Merch For Free” Activity

Undergraduate Diploma Project - 2nd Major

As a type of offline fandom activity, “Self-made Merch For Free” has been an emerging communication activity among stage actor/actress fans. Different from traditional supporting activities or club meetings, this activity is characterized by its non-profit, absence of the star himself/herself, non-promoting, and weak relationships between participants, but still, it has certain influence on the formation of identity of the fans. However, existing researches mainly focus on online communication when analyzing fandom identity, rather than those happening in offline physical space. Thus, based on interaction ritual theory as analyzing frame, this thesis has explored the construction process and causes of perception of identity during “Self-made Merch For Free” activity conducted by stage actor fandom through field research, online participatory observation, semi-structured in-depth interviews and questionnaire survey. Its influences and significance are also summarized and discussed.

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