Carole M. Cusack and Venetia Laura Delano Robertson, Foreword: The Study of Fandom and Religion (original) (raw)

This project was originally conceived by John Morehead as an academic yet accessible anthology of papers that explore the sacred aspects of “fantastic” fandoms, those communities and personal engagements that celebrate texts of the fantasy and science fiction genres. When we, Carole Cusack and Venetia Robertson, were invited by John and McFarland to contribute to the volume and complete the project as the editors we were excited to see the breadth and depth of the contributions. The essays that have been selected for this volume represent innovative intellectual engagements with the relationship of religion to fandom. A considerable portion of the authors are early career researchers and, with the field being emergent and quickly evolving, the studies here are appositely fresh. While some of the fandoms and their media sources that feature in these pages have been subject to much academic assessment over the years, the following essays offers an insightful take on what these cultures can tell us about spirituality in the contemporary world.