Not Supernatural related, alas, but in case there are students out there who are looking for a summer course on fandom, and want to combine it with travel, this is the course for you! Fan Pilgrimage and Media Tourism!!
What?
We’ll examine the growing phenomenon of fan pilgrimage (growing in the sense that the tourism industry is now catering specifically to this market). We will consider fan pilgrims – why do they (we:) go and what is gained from the experience? Does fan pilgrimage, with its religious connotations, accurately capture that experience? How does fan pilgrimage differ from media tourism? We will also consider how key sites are presented to the public. How are they curated? What sorts of narratives are constructed? What constitutes an “authentic” experience for the fan tourist?
Where?
Although based in London, the course will include group trips to Cardiff (Doctor Who) and Liverpool (The Beatles), with optional days out to be determined by student preference (a Downton Abbey tour has already been suggested:). In London will we go on the Warner Brothers Studio tour of the Harry Potter sets as well as a tour of sites of filming in London. We will also go on a Sherlock Holmes walking tour of sites significant in both the short stories and recent films/television productions.
Students will have weekends free to visit other sites of their choosing in London and throughout the UK. These sites can range from the homes of literary figures to rock stars, libraries to cemeteries to football stadiums, theatres to churches to concert venues – in short any places that hold significance to the student based on their own fannish interests. This research will form the basis of students’ final papers.
Who?
This course is open to both undergraduates and graduate students. No previous knowledge of fan studies is needed for undergraduates. The application deadline is March 15, 2013.
For more information click here