New Books in Communications Sabrina Mittermeier, "Fan Phenomena: Disney" (Intellect Books, 2023)
Nov 28, 2025
Sabrina Mittermeier, a cultural historian and editor of Fan Phenomena: Disney, dives into the complexities of Disney fandom. She reveals how fan studies challenge the notion of passive audiences and highlights issues of race, queerness, and corporate inclusion. Mittermeier also discusses the rise of 'Disney adults' and the impact of the pandemic on fan culture. With insights into fan labor, online engagement, and the evolving relationships between fans and the company, her findings pave the way for future research in Disney studies and representation.
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Fans Are Active Not Passive
- Early Disney studies treated audiences as dupes, but fan studies reveals active, critical engagement with Disney texts.
- Sabrina Mittermeier argues fan studies adds nuance by showing fans reinterpret and contest Disney meanings.
Fandom Is Politically Divided
- Disney fandom contains both progressive fans pushing for change and conservative or far-right anti-fans, creating internal conflict.
- Mittermeier highlights that these tensions are amplified by social media and recent cultural debates like "Don't Say Gay."
Inclusion As Corporate Strategy
- Inclusion became a formal Disney business value after 2020's social movements and is shaped by corporate strategy, not just ethics.
- Mittermeier notes CEOs and internal politics influence how inclusion is enacted and communicated.
