Rachel Thorn is a master’s student in Social Anthropology at York University. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies and Diaspora and Transnational Studies from the University of Toronto. Her research investigates the significance of the parasocial relationship between K-pop idols and fans, focusing on the implication of Korean social forms of care within and beyond Korea in global spaces related to the fan-idol bond. Her work also focuses on K-pop’s shift from a local to global object as a product of globalization. Her research interests include fandom communication through live and online mediums, parasocial interactions, and the creation and maintenance of communities that centre around interests that society broadly deems ‘weird’ or ‘non-conventional.’
Research Specialties:
Fandom communication; parasocial interactions; ‘weird’ or ‘non-conventional’ communities; commodity objects
Rachel Thorn
Graduate Student
Social Anthropology
thornrac@yorku.ca