Abstract
This project is established on the belief that belonging to fandom communities in a meaningful way can boost a person’s sense of social well-being. It draws on the idea from the social cure framework (Jetten et al., 2011) that when a person feels a meaningful connection to a group and actively participates in that group in a meaningful way, that person’s sense of social well-being improves. The core elements of the social cure parallel those of fandom culture—fans engage in meaningful group activities, and membership in a fandom holds significant meaning for fans. To understand how these spaces work, I use Hofstede’s Cultural Onion (1990) in a new way—as a tool to describe fandom culture. By examining the layers of symbols, heroes, rituals, and values, I show how each fandom constructs its own cultural world. In this project, I apply Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm to understand how speculative fiction genre television invites a sense of connection and belonging, focusing on the ways narrative probability and fidelity shape perceptions of coherence and truth. I start by choosing three shows within the genre that have strong fandoms and compelling characters whose arcs lend themselves to cultural, emotional, and moral analysis: Wanda Maximoff from WandaVision; Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Ahsoka; and Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor from Doctor Who. I then examine each story closely using Fisher’s two main ideas: narrative probability and narrative fidelity. The shows that meet both thresholds serve as the basis for workbook modules in Fandom Atlas, where their stories will help readers explore identity, belonging, and meaning through participation in fandom culture. Fandom Atlas is a cultural workbook I created to help people understand fandom communities as a meaningful place for belonging and social well-being. The workbook demonstrates how the practical implementation of Hofstede’s Cultural Onion, the social cure framework, and Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm together demonstrate that fandom communities offer more than just entertainment; they are legitimate cultural spaces where people can find an improved sense of self through meaningful community belonging.