Social Media, Communities, & Networks Conference 2026: Semester 1 & SP1

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2 responses to “HOW BEYONCÉ’S FANDOM BUILDS COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA- Chelsea Maziwa”

1. 

   Anggeline Chew

   30/04/2026

   Hi Chelsea. Your presentation is very interesting and fully packed with information!

   Here are my questions for you:

   1. You mentioned that fans use hashtag #BeyGood to repost information and share donation links or petitions. Perhaps a concrete example of a fan account using #BeyGood to share donation links and organize fundraising efforts could substantiate your point.

   2. How could you reflect the internationality of Beyonce’s fan communities in your presentation?

   3. Could the presentation critically evaluate whether all fan participation (e.g., reposting or liking) meaningfully contributes to activism, or if some actions are more performative?

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2. 

   effie

   01/05/2026

   Hey Chelsea, I love Beyoncé, so this is a topic I’m really interested in engaging with! Thank you for the great and clear presentation 🙂

   I have a few questions for you. I would appreciate it if you could give me a few examples of TikTok videos, if relevant, so that I can explore more!

   1. You concluded that the Beyhive is a socially engaged networked public. Looking forward, do you think this example of activism is the future for all celebrity fandoms? Or is there something unique about Beyoncé’s specific cultural affordances (her history and themes) that makes this level of collective social engagement possible only for her community?

   2. You argued that social affordances like hashtags and shares allow the Beyhive to mobilise around shared values. During the Black Lives Matter protests, the hashtag #BeyGood was used to spread educational resources. In your view, is it the technology of the hashtag that enables this activism, or is it the pre-existing social capital of the fandom that makes the technology effective? Or both?

   3. Your use of Zhang’s concept of fandom publics to describe the Beyhive is very effective. You mentioned that this shared identity is shaped by Beyoncé’s cultural and social values, not just by her music. In the context of the #BeyGood initiative, do you think this fandom functions more like a traditional fan club or a political organisation? How do the ‘organised communities’ differ from a more random or casual social media community?

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