Screens of Sorrow, Echoes of Spirit

Transcultural Mourning and Affective Fandom Publics Across Chinese and Western Platforms Over 5 Years

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2952060
AutoresZizhong Zhang (0000-0002-3768-670X, Zhejiang International Studies University), Haoyu Huang (0000-0003-2001-5405), H K Huang (0009-0001-9719-7430, Zhejiang International Studies University), Haixin Mu (0000-0002-8910-7087, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Ping Guo (0009-0006-9654-4011), Ke He (0000-0001-5222-0214, Zhejiang University), Tianping He (0000-0001-9190-7158, Renmin University of China, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen11
Número3
Fecha de publicación2025-07-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSocial Media + Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2056-3051 • E-ISSN: 2056-3051
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/20563051251369801
OpenAlexW4413808992
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas60

This study investigates how affective fandom publics construct transcultural mourning communities following Kobe Bryant 's death. Drawing on 5 years of data from Reddit and Baidu Tieba, it examines how digital grief evolves across platforms and cultures. The analysis integrates theories of affective publics, fandom, and online mourning to conceptualize these publics as emotionally durable collectives shaped by cultural values and platform rituals. Findings reveal distinct mourning modes: Western discourse emphasizes personal storytelling and emotional immediacy, while Chinese discourse highlights ritual and symbolic continuity. Over time, both shift from public spectacle to sustained emotional practice, transforming grief into identity-making and collective memory work. This study contributes to affect theory, digital mourning research, and sports communication by revealing how mourning unfolds not only across platforms but also through time and culture

Aesthetics · Art · Fandom · Media studies · Political science · Psychoanalysis · Publics · Sociology · Sorrow · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Gender Studies · Media Studies and Communication · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology