In 1956, American researchers Horton and Wohl coined the term "para-social interaction," defined as the bond of intimacy that a consumer of media feels towards the "image" of the performer. Later developed into the notion of "celebrity worship" by researchers, "parasociality" has a relationship to the worshipful dynamics of totemism—in which the image of the animal exceeds the actual being in sacredness—as described by French sociologist Émile Durkheim. Discussing French author Jean Genet's exploration of the unlikely forms of totemic worship common in the age of mass media, this article posits that Genet's "parasociology of religion" demonstrates the way in which Durkheimian sociology of religion can offer insight into ostensibly secular contemporary practices, including those of fan communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Religion & the Arts is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)