iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Evren M Dincer examines Buffalo, New York, as a case study of how the Rust Belt is represented as a site of terminal decline, arguing this "captured imaginary" depoliticizes the region's history. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Sae Shimauchi, Hyo Jin Kim and Mi Erin Zhou compare how "bromance" is reconfigured across Japan, South Korea and China, tracing it as a continuum with Boys' Love culture. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Zhenyu Zhang studies "Study-with-Me" livestreamers in China. The research explores their inspirational labor, downplaying sexiness and emphasizing studiousness to generate hope for viewers. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Simona Sarma studies Bollywood's item numbers through the reception of Assamese youth aged 18 to 25, examining how these sexually charged sequences are read by regional audiences. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Hongyu Zhu, Jingwei Tang and @otizhang.bsky.social study non-Korean K-pop groups Blackswan and EXP Edition, examining how they negotiate identity between Korean industry expectations and global markets. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Yuanyuan Huang and Muhizam Mustafa examine how jade carving in Guangzhou is reshaped by digital platforms and state policy, drawing on interviews with artisans and intermediaries. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Siqi Tian, Jie Xin and Fei Wu study how countertenors negotiate platformed audibility on TikTok and Instagram. They find these singers are often misheard or disbelieved, a pattern the authors call auditory disciplining. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Niall Docherty and @mvaldeb.bsky.social examine Meta's digital literacy resources, finding they frame social media harms as individual, cultivating self reliance and "civilizing" users into codes of conduct. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Issue 29.4 is available! From platformed voices to jade carving, K-pop identities and the Rust Belt, this issue spans culture, craft and media across the globe. Follow the thread to discover the articles inside 🧵

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Hongyu Zhu, Jingwei Tang and Zizhong Zhang study non-Korean K-pop groups Blackswan and EXP Edition, examining how they negotiate identity between Korean industry expectations and global markets. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In this article, Niall Docherty and Matías Valderrama Barragán examine Meta's digital literacy resources, finding they frame social media harms as individual, cultivating self reliance and "civilizing" users into codes of conduct. doi.org/10.1177/1367...

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Our sincere congratulations to everyone who contributed, and our thanks to our partners at @sagepub.com for their continued collaboration.

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

A result like this doesn't happen on its own. It reflects the commitment of our editorial board, the care of our reviewers, and the trust of authors who continue to choose IJCS for their scholarship.

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the author studies African migrants in China, finding a central tension between South-South solidarity discourses and exclusionary realities, as migrants employ grassroots strategies to navigate prejudice and marginalization. bit.ly/42L3UTg

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, @qingyuesun.bsky.social studies digital creators in China, finding that they face dual exploitation by platforms and MCNs, erosion of creative autonomy, and involuntary enlistment as propaganda artisans under compounded commercial and ideological pressures. bit.ly/3RilKuj

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the authors study the persistence of fax in Victorian healthcare, finding that it is explained by three dynamics: socio-material entrenchment, institutional interdependencies, and technological lock-in, where older media endure through inertia and embedded norms. bit.ly/4ft2Lak

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, Bart Cammaerts and @cjimenez-m.bsky.social study the media coverage of the Tour de France 2022, finding that media events are arenas where the boundaries of visibility are fought over, exposing shifting architectures of power that shape what can be seen and concealed. bit.ly/3RilKuj

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the author studies livestreamed open mic events in London, finding that while digital platforms expanded participation, livestreaming is supplementary to in-person events, as emotional resonance and shared presence remain tied to physical spaces. bit.ly/4fthG4p

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the author studies street livestreaming in Shenzhen, finding that creators cope with algorithmic oppression and precarity by performing vulgarity as a survival strategy, becoming trapped in cycles of self-exploitative labor. bit.ly/4dtyN3t

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the author studies ASMR content on Bilibili, finding that practices meant to provide rest routinize discipline and turn relaxation into a commercialized resource, while repeated exposure deepens platform dependency. bit.ly/4dR6mha

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

In this article, the authors study "oddly satisfying" short-form videos on Reddit and Instagram, finding that textures and consistencies are their core appeal and that this seemingly apolitical content reinforces ideas about labour, gender, and platform politics. bit.ly/4utPp2c

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Have you read our 29.3 issue yet? Follow the thread to know more about the articles 🧵

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

If you want to know more about transcultural fandom, read the full special issue here: journals.sagepub.com/toc/icsa/29/2 Remember to tag that collegue who would like to read it too! :)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Highlighting relevant changes in academic and social worlds, this paper advocates for a paradigm shift in which Asia is recognized as the origin—imaginatively and figuratively—for gender and sexual discourses in transcultural fandom studies. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Transcultural fan studies with a ‘Queer Asia’ focus in the 2020s. Jamie J. Zhao (City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Moving across personal narratives and scholarly reflection, this dialogue situates fandom as a contact zone shaped by asymmetrical power relations, affective attachments, and performative negotiations of identity. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367... @acafanmom.bsky.social

Beyond belonging: A conversation on inauthenticity, third-culture kids, and fandom. Lori Morimoto (University of Virginia, USA), Haerin Shin (Korea University, Republic of Korea), Sangita Shresthova (University of Southern California, USA)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This dialogue explores the conceptual and terminological challenges inherent in “creator and wanghong studies,” particularly regarding the global diversity and local specificity of the emerging creator and wanghong cultures. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Dialogue on creator and wanghong studies: Conceptual challenges and global approach. Jian Lin (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong), David Craig (University of Southern California, USA)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The authors discuss South Korean and Chinese fandom cultures’ intertwinement with civic engagements, the role that gender and sexuality play in this process, and how such civic imaginations emerge domestically and transculturally. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures. Do Own (Donna) Kim (University of Illinois Chicago, USA), Fang Wu (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This research examines K-pop RPD as a precarious utopian space, where global pop culture is reinterpreted within local contexts to produce fleeting yet affectively powerful moments of joy, collectively, and self-expression. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Precarious utopia: The affective politics of transcultural entertainment in K-pop Random Play Dance. Kedi Zhou (University of Southern California, USA), Yuqi Yang (University of Southern California, USA), Xinyue Zhang (The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

To understand how Chinese fans use Barbie—a symbol of Western culture—as a tool for feminist expression, this study examines their motivations, strategies, and the cultural tensions they navigate. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Feminist fan engagement and collective agency: A case study of Barbie in China. Xinyao Yuan (Tsinghua University, China), Ruoyu Yang (City University of Hong Kong, China), Zheng Zhang (Tsinghua University, China)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This study investigates Chinese cosplayers within the tensions between transcultural fandom and nationalism, proposing a framework that distinguishes between the cognitive and behavioral dimensions of identity negotiation. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

When transcultural fandom meets nationalism: Chinese cosplayers’ identity negotiation between global flows and local places. Zituo Wang (University of Southern California, USA), Haoyu Huang (Wuhan University, China).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This paper explores the rise of fan podcasting, examining how fan podcasters reconfigure media translation by mobilising audio practices that traverse linguistic, cultural, and technological boundaries. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Fan-driven paratextuality in the audios: Film and television podcast in the post-fansubbing era of Chinese translational fandom. Dingkun Wang (The University of Hong Kong, China), Xiaochun Zhang (University College London, UK)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

By analyzing Koreanified Disney Princesses and non-Korean “hanbok princesses” on social media, this study shows how performers use hanbok to express fan interests, materialize affective affinities, and fashion transcultural selves. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Where Disney and Hallyu collide: Fashioning transcultural selves through hanbok sartorial fandom. Yoonsuh Jung (Korea University, South Korea), Tiara Wilson (University of Southern California, USA), Ying Wang (Shanghai University, China).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This paper follows the reinterpretation of Genshin Impact to show how the fluidity of concepts of race allows fans to reconstruct local racial hegemonies in their practices. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367... @oldmythos.bsky.social @scarinat.bsky.social @kirstencrowe.bsky.social

"Fixing" race across the Pacific: Transcultural reinterpretations in the Genshin Impact fandom. Yvonne Gonzales (University of Southern California, USA), Fanxi Feng (The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong), Samantha Tecson (University of Southern California, USA), Kirsten Crowe (University of Southern California, USA).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This article introduces the special issue "Transcultural Fandom", with a focus on China, Korea, and broader contexts beyond East Asia, bringing together researchers to explore how fandom travels across cultural, linguistic, and political borders. Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1177/1367...

Wheels on the ground, worlds in motion: an introduction to transcultural fandom in East Asia. Guest editors: Henry Jenkins and Kedi Zhou (University of Southern California, USA)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Have you read our 29.2 issue yet? We would like to thank guest editors Henry Jenkins and Kedi Zhou (University of Southern California, USA) for bringing together this special issue on Transcultural Fandom. Follow the thread to know more about the articles 🧵 @popjunctions.bsky.social

International Journal of Cultural Studies, volume 29, issue 2, 2026. Special issue: Transcultural Fandom.

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

🗣️🔊 We are proud to announce the Call for Papers for the next special issue, "Decoloniality in Media and Cultural Studies: Looking Back, Looking Forward". Share this with your network and @ that colleague who can make a great contribution to decoloniality in media and cultural studies! 👩🏾‍🏫🧑🏻‍🏫👨🏽‍🏫

Call for papers
Special issue
Decoloniality in media and cultural studies: Looking Back, Looking Forward.
Special issue editors:
Jonathan Corpus Ong (University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA),
Laura Guimarães Corrêa (Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil),
Wen Jin (East China Normal University)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

You can also read the full issue here: journals.sagepub.com/toc/icsa/29/1

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

This study adopts an ‘ethnographic returning’ method to further develop the theory of long-distance nationalism, examining how Japanese cultural migrants negotiated their sense of national identity. Read the full article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... @yuikofujita.bsky.social

Everyday nationhood and digital media: Tracing identity among Japanese cultural migrants. Yuiko Fujita (The University of Tokyo, Japan)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

This study investigates reviews of Chinese American films and TV shows, discussing critiques of stereotypes and limited portrayals as well as celebrations of hybrid identities and the global reach of Chinese American experiences. Read the full article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Rewriting Chineseness: Chinese American films through Chinese eyes. Sebastian Yuxi Zhao (York University, Toronto, Canada)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

This study demonstrates the utility of using relational work to highlight how managing familial connections fundamentally shapes creative participation in spaces of pervasive precarity in the Global South. Read the full article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

“I don’t want my parents to know I do videoclips”: Managing familial relations to pursue creative work in Accra, Ghana. Nii Kotei Nikoi (North Carolina State University, USA)

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Highlighting the Filipino concept of abot kamay, this article discusses how digital transactions are given meanings within established social and cultural norms that combine processes of remuneration, redistribution and reciprocity. Read the full article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Abot kamay: Embedding digital transactions in the Philippines. Adrian Athique (University of Queensland, Australia), Jozon A. Lorenzana (Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines).

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International Journal of Cultural Studies @ijcs-journal.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Drawing on cultural trauma theory, the study investigates audience responses to mediated distant suffering from three user profiles of different nationalities and locations, to analyse their cosmopolitan disposition. Read the full article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Drivers of global civil repair: Social media users witnessing distant suffering in the aftermath of the 2017 Mexico City earthquake. Gabriela Müggenburg Rodríguez Vigil (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain), María Luengo Cruz (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain).

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