A review by hauntbug
Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide by Henry Jenkins

3.0

Jenkins' deliverance of essential terminology, various concepts he employs to discuss "convergent culture" are theoretically engaging; but how aggressively dated many of the case studies are (no fault of his own) it becomes a slight drag. Overall, the premise of fictional realms expanding across multimedia franchises alongside the audience desire to master scrupulous intertextual references as a collective "participatory culture" are fascinating, alongside the dichotomy he introduces between "popular culture" and "mass media" as a division between 'natural' folk arts against industrialised commodities. Additionally, the chapters drawing on intellectual property and the internet as a force for forging political affiliations via common interests are relevant as ever. I found this tedious to finish, but it left plenty of breadcrumbs to follow with regards to other cultural theorists.