Is Platformization Reshaping Fandom Research? A Bibliometric Mapping of an Emerging Conceptual Orientation (2009–2026)

Abstract

Fandom studies conceptualize fans as active agents who reinterpret and circulate cultural texts while collectively producing meaning. However, contemporary fan practices increasingly occur within platform infrastructures governed by algorithmic ranking, recommendation systems, content moderation, data production, and engagement metrics. This study examines the extent to which platformization has become an established conceptual framework in fandom research. A Web of Science Core Collection search on 3 August 2026, followed by rule-based eligibility screening and manual validation, produced a dataset of 2986 fandom publications from 2009 to 2026. Based on coding of titles, abstracts, and author keywords, 1433 publications were classified as digital fandom studies, while 45 were identified as platformization-focused studies. In the most recent period, the share of platformization-focused publications increased to 2.48% of the overall fandom literature and 4.51% of the digital fandom subset. Nevertheless, the co-citation structure remains organized around foundational fan studies scholarship, while platform-oriented theoretical sources have yet to attain canonical status. The findings indicate that platformization does not constitute an institutionalized paradigm within fandom research. Rather, it represents an emerging conceptual orientation that is rapidly gaining visibility at the publication and keyword levels but has yet to become established within citation structures and research fronts.