»Sources of historical fan research«

• Date: 9.5.2025

Fan research tends to focus on contemporary fan cultures, mostly in the digital space. But how can we research historical fan cultures from the 19th century onwards? Which sources provide information about them? Which methodologies can be used to make them accessible? These questions will be discussed with guests from Germany and abroad at the workshop, which is being held in the context of a seminar at the University of Cologne.

Workshop

(Location: Erich Auerbach Institute for Advanced Studies, Cologne, Weyertal 59 (Rückgebäude/rear building))

10:15 Stephan Packard/Stephan Michael Schröder (University of Cologne): »Welcome address«

10:45 Diana W. Anselmo (Institute for Technology and Architecture (ISCTEC), Lisbon): »Technologies of Intimacy: film, photography and early female audiences«

11:45 Annie Fee (Copenhagen): »Putting Fan Letters to Work: What Addresses Reveal About Working-Class Female Film Fandom in Interwar France«

13:00–14:00 Lunch break

14:00 Vanessa Ossa (Cologne Game Lab): »Origins of Marvel Fandom«

15:00 Vera Cuntz-Leng (Philipps-University Marburg): »Fleeting Fictions«

16:00 Sophie G. Einwächter (Philipps-University Marburg): »Archives of Everyday Life: How fan cultural sources help us trace the short-lived footprints of popular culture«

Keynote

(Location: Neues Seminargebäude, S 26)

18:00 Diana W. Anselmo (Institute for Technology and Architecture (ISCTEC), Lisbon):
»No One is Ever Dead in the Archive: Technology, Autobiography & Expertise in Early Female Film Fandom«

(© Paula Ordejon)