Governing the Carnival: From Extractive Management to Co-Creative Ecosystems in Participatory Fandom — A Harry Potter Case Study
Abstract
This paper examines how participatory fandom is governed within the digital economy and how this is paradoxical in terms of the relationship between fan creativity and extractive practices by capital. The study, by exploring an in-depth case study of Harry Potter franchise, develops a three-stage model through which capital datafies affective engagement, commodifies creative output, and disciplines participatory activities through legal and platform-based mechanisms. The analysis reveals a structural imbalance: while fans produce cultural vitality that nourishes intellectual properties, capital retains control of legal, financial, and informational infrastructures which capture this value. To address this, the paper suggests an Agent-Centric Co-Creation Framework designed to rebalance agency, redistribute value and establish reciprocal governance, shifting fans from unpaid laborers into acknowledged stakeholders in the ecosystems they co-create. The study argues that reimagining governance system of digital fandom is vital for a more equitable and sustainable digital cultural economy rooted in shared recognition and sustainable participation.
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