A Parasociology: Jean Genet in the Age of Celebrity Worship
In 1956, American researchers Horton and Wohl coined the term “para-social interaction,” defined as the bond of intimacy that a consumer of media feels towards the “image” of the performer. Later developed into the notion of “celebrity worship” by researchers, “parasociality” has a relationship to t...
| Published in: | Religion and the arts |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
[2020]
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| In: |
Religion and the arts
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Genet, Jean-Pierre 1928-
/ Parasoziale Interaktion
/ Durkheim, Émile 1858-1917
/ Religious sociology
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| IxTheo Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy ZB Sociology |
| Further subjects: | B
para-social interaction
B Jean Genet B sociology of religion B celebrity culture B the sacred |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | In 1956, American researchers Horton and Wohl coined the term “para-social interaction,” defined as the bond of intimacy that a consumer of media feels towards the “image” of the performer. Later developed into the notion of “celebrity worship” by researchers, “parasociality” has a relationship to the worshipful dynamics of totemism—in which the image of the animal exceeds the actual being in sacredness—as described by French sociologist Émile Durkheim. Discussing French author Jean Genet’s exploration of the unlikely forms of totemic worship common in the age of mass media, this article posits that Genet’s “parasociology of religion” demonstrates the way in which Durkheimian sociology of religion can offer insight into ostensibly secular contemporary practices, including those of fan communities. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5292 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion and the arts
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685292-02403003 |