Research Project
Good morning! My name is Nat and I've recently been working on an Ethnography about a subculture in the Harry Potter fandom. Specifically, SnapeWives. As someone who has been a part of the fanfiction community for a long time, and loves to study niche topics, I realized I knew almost nothing about this part of the community.
So, I was wondering if it could be alright if I used this forum as a source and ask some questions? This would all go into my paper, and I can post it on here when finished.
Thank you! Informed consent is an important part of my project, and keeping you all comfortable and not feeling judged is important to me.
Those who mark 'yes' or 'would like more information' will be given my email.
Hi there,
Sounds like an interesting project, but the whole "SnapeWives" thing is a bit outdated, isn't it? My understanding is that it was a short-lived thing that happened 20 years ago. As far as I know, it no longer exists.
Other than that, feel free to communicate with other members and ask questions, though I'd prefer you do so here on the forum or via PM. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad actors in this fandom. I'm sure you're not one of them, but it's best to play on the safe side until folks get to know you a bit. 🙂
Thank you for letting me know!
To specify, I would be using this forum as a source to demonstrate how people's love for Snape (or fandom in general) has continued and adapted through the years. I'm attempting to acknowledge the biases people have towards the fanfic/fandom community, and help end this stigma.
I really do appreciate you letting me know that the terminology I used is outdated, and I will do my best to refrain from any types of biased or unused language. As I stated before, respect and comfort are my top priorities.
(P.S. I've never really focused on Snape much within the HP fandom, which is why I'm unfamiliar with the terminology some may use.)
🙂
I really do appreciate you letting me know that the terminology I used is outdated, and I will do my best to refrain from any types of biased or unused language. As I stated before, respect and comfort are my top priorities.
I appreciate that, but you don't need to walk on eggshells around here. 🙂 None of us are fragile, and sometimes it's necessary to ask difficult, misguided, or even potentially offensive questions to get to the truth, which of course, is the whole point of doing research. As long as you're not going out of your way to be a dick about it (which I can't see you doing), I'm sure we can handle it.
The reason I raised my eyebrows about SnapeWives, or "Snapeists" as they preferred to be called, is not just because they faded into obscurity nearly two decades ago. It's also because they were (to put it bluntly), fucking nuts and in no way representative of the vast majority of Snape fans.
If that's the story you want to tell, this forum won't be much help for you. We are a small community, and I'm sure that many (or even most) of our members don't even know what/whom the SnapeWives were. I didn't until about a year ago, and that was only because I watch a lot of YouTube videos about throwback internet dramas. It's never been part of my experience as a fan, and I've been into Snape for the past 13 years.
Whatever you decide to research is up to you, obviously, but I think you should consider something more current/relevant. There are so many stories to be told about the Snape fandom as it is today, stories that could actually do us justice. We are often misunderstood or even stigmatized, and outside abuse is common. I think exploring why that happens and how it affects us would make for a great research project, and I for one would be happy to contribute.
