Nerdfighters, "Paper Towns," and heterotopia

Authors

  • Lili Wilkinson The University of Melbourne

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2012.0374

Keywords:

Activism, Fandom, Social networking, Young adult literature, YouTube

Abstract

Socially and politically controlled teenagers find emancipatory spaces in young adult (YA) literature, spaces where institutions can be challenged and individuals can gain agency and empowerment. Drawing on Foucault's theory of heterotopia, I examine the literary spaces in John Green's YA novel Paper Towns and examine how Green's online social networking community Nerdfighters shares an ideological common ground with the novel.

Author Biography

Lili Wilkinson, The University of Melbourne

Lili Wilkinson is the author of five Young Adult novels, including Pink and Scatterheart. She is also a PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

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Published

2012-06-15

Issue

Vol. 10 (2012)

Section

Praxis

License

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