Convergent wrestling Participatory Culture, Transmedia Storytelling, and Intertextuality in the Squared Circle

• Other Authors: Reinhard, CarrieLynn D. (Editor), Olson, Christopher J. (Editor)
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 2019; ©2019
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Series: The cultural politics of media and popular culture
• Subjects: Wrestling; Wrestling > Social aspect
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.
• Physical Description: xiii, 203 pages illustrations (black and white) 24 cm
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and indexes
• ISBN: 9780367660673; 9780815377641

This book examines how the current era of "convergence" has affected, and is reflected in, the world of professional wrestling, which combines several different genres, including drama, action, comedy, horror, science fiction, and even romance. Professional wrestling's business practices exist at the intersection of bottom-up fan-centric strategies and strict top-down corporate control. Meanwhile, the wrestlers themselves combine aspects of carnival hucksters, actors/actresses, comedians, superheroes, martial artists, or stuntmen, and the narratives consist of everything from social critique to geopolitical allegories, and from soap opera melodramas to stereotyped exploitation. Bringing together the latest scholarship in the field, Convergent Wrestling analyzes various texts, business practices, and fan activities to explore the commonalities that define professional wrestling and consider how it exists in today's new media ecology. In addition, the book considers the professional wrestling industry from several different angles, from massive multinational conglomerate World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to local indie federations. As such, it will appeal to scholars with interests in popular culture, media and cultural studies, and fan practices.