The article examines Russian Harry Potter fan fiction as an anthropological source. The analysis focuses on fan fiction as a cultural practice, Russian online communities devoted to the continuation of Harry Potter stories and their common values, reading strategies and practices of writing. Given that Russian Harry Potter fan fiction writers and readers are mostly women, the author pays attention to gender norms as they are represented in fan fiction texts and reading practices. The article explores the central role that individual choice plays in fan fiction axiology, the representations of sex and corresponding problems of the language, the images of family which are produced and discussed in the community and the possibilities that slash as a fictional frame provides for the manifestation of the community’s essential values.
Language of contribution: English