Convergence Culture is a book by Henry Jenkins that discusses his ideas on the collision of modern culture with technology. In his introduction, he states that the book “is about the relationship between three concepts – media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence” (2). Jenkins then goes on to define convergence as “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences” (2). He describes the example he uses for media convergence, the film The Matrix, as “entertainment for the era of media convergence, integrating multiple texts to create a narrative so large that it cannot be contained within a single medium” (95). He begins his book by establishing that there is a major shift occurring in the relationship between producers and consumers and follows that by discussing the implications of this shift in reality television. Using the example of the “spoilers” of the show Survivor, Jenkins demonstrates his point that collective intelligence is causing some definite tension between producers and consumers. He states that “collective intelligence refers to this ability of virtual communities to leverage the combined expertise of their members” (27). Participatory culture refers to the recent ability of the consumer to interact with and help create in some cases a media text that used to have a one-way path from producer to consumer. Jenkins uses the examples of Star Wars and the Harry Potter franchise to demonstrate his concept of participatory culture. Jenkins states that “in both cases, these grassroots artists are finding themselves in conflict with commercial media producers who want to exert greater control over their intellectual property” (21). He also uses the implications he draws from these examples of popular culture to analyze politics. Jenkins states that “in each case [referring to Star Wars and Harry Potter], entrenched institutions are taking their models from grassroots fan communities, reinventing themselves for an era of media convergence and collective intelligence. So why not apply those same lessons to presidential politics?” (208).
The issue of literacy is something Jenkins brings up a lot in this novel. It is of particular concern in chapter five in both conflicts surrounding the Harry Potter franchise. In the first case (with the fan writers online), we can see that the issue of literacy is no longer just about being able to read and write. It now requires that an individual create and express themselves through other media. Jenkins also argues that participating in fan fiction improves the other two components of literacy. This occurs mainly through the writing, because there are many ways that authors get feedback on the sites: through other writers on the site or through systems set up to help critique newer writers and get them on the right track. The second issue is mostly concerned with students’ ability to read. Teachers think the Harry Potter books should be allowed in school because they know kids will read them, and anything that gets kids to read is good. It is also easier for kids to go deeper into the analysis of something if they are interested in it. I think both pro-Potter sides need to converge: by applying the methods used by online fan fiction communities, teachers can not only improve children’s literacy but allow them to have fun while they do it. If schools were to model some aspects of learning how to write after fan fiction forums, kids will have some control over what they create, they will have an easier time evaluating their peers’ work, and they will gain a sense of independence in their writing that will make them better writers. Teachers could create safe online groups for their students to interact in a forum-type setting, but instead of fan fiction they could work on school assignments. Another tactic might be to assign students to participate in a fan fiction community for homework so they learn the skills that way. Using this technology early on in the classroom will also help students to learn how to work with digital information.
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