Fans constitute a very special kind of audience. They have been marginalized, ridiculed and stigmatized, yet at the same time they seem to represent the vanguard of new relationships with and within the media. ’Participatory culture’ has become the new normative standard. Concepts derived from early fan studies, such as transmedial storytelling and co-creation, are now the standard fare of journalism and marketing text books alike. Indeed, usage of the word fan has become ubiquitous. The Ashgate Research Companion to Fan Cultures problematizes this exaltation of fans and offers a comprehensive examination of the current state of the field. Bringing together the latest international research, it explores the conceptualization of ’the fan’ and the significance of relationships between fans and producers, with particular attention to the intersection between online spaces and offline places. The twenty-two chapters of this volume elucidate the key themes of the fan studies vernacular. As the contributing authors draw from recent empirical work around the globe, the book provides fresh insights and innovative angles on the latest developments within fan cultures, both online and offline. Because the volume is specifically set up as companion for researchers, the chapters include recommendations for the further study of fan cultures. As such, it represents an essential reference volume for researchers and scholars in the fields of cultural and media studies, communication, cultural geography and the sociology of culture.

The Black Hand Gang is a neighbourhood group of young Kenyans, which meets in the eastern part of Nairobi. The gang members, Onyango, Waithaka, his sister Jane, V.J. Patel and Hassan make a lot of friends trying to help other people. The story is intended as a supplementary text for children fluent in reading, to encourage reading for pleasure.

Seven years after they first came together, the members of the Black Hand Gang meet up again. They find much has changed. Whilst they cherish their shared past, they discover they have chosen different paths in life, and are preparing for adult life in different ways.

The Anglo Zulu War continues to attract phenomenal interest. What was meant to be a quick punitive expedition led by Lord Chelmsford turned into a watershed for British Colonial power. The ignominious defeat at Iswandhlwana was a terrible blow to British military pride but the heroic stand at Rourkes Drift, while a minor event by comparison, allowed the powers-that-be to salvage some honor.This authoritative book covers all the main players, be they military, political or civilian, with concise yet readable individual entries. In addition to the military commanders on both sides, we have the VC winners, those at Rourkes Drift and survivors of the massacre. Individuals such as The Crown Prince Imperial whose actions made an impact all have entries.

How I escaped death on numerous occasions remains a mystery to me. Encountering famous personalities unexpectedly was astonishing, and some of the experiences I’ve had are still unbelievable. Throughout my life, finding joy in helping others and sharing moments with them has brought me immense fulfilment.

Traceable as far back as the work of the path-breaking Chicago School of Sociology in the 1920s and 1930s, subculture and counterculture have long been conceptual staples of the discipline. This collection includes 16 readings on aspects of sub-community life in sport that showcases the breadth and depth of sport subcultural research.

Focusing on a number of contemporary research themes and placing them within the context of palpable changes that have occurred within football in recent years, this timely collection brings together essays about football, crime and fan behaviour from leading experts in the fields of criminology, law, sociology, psychology and cultural studies.