“Idk Who They Are, but They’re in Love.” Shipping Dutch Politicians in #Resse and the Fanization of Politics

Description

“TikTok users obsessed with two Dutch politicians are writing and posting fan fiction about their imagined relationship,” Insider.com headlined in October 2021. It refers to an event kickstarted six months earlier, when TikTok videos about Dutch politicians Jesse Klaver (GreenLeft) and Rob Jetten (Democrats66) started going viral. The videos, hashtagged #Resse, showcase edits of the men interacting or exchanging looks. In the background, emotional music swells.

This paper discusses #Resse, viewing it as a case study of what has been called the ‘fanization’ of politics (Gray, Sandvoss & Harrington 2017; Petersen 2022). Specifically, based on a small-scale survey and observation of practices in the #Resse hashtag on TikTok, Twitter, and Wattpad, the paper explores the motivations of those engaged in #Resse and the play modes involved. It shows how these, aided by platform affordances, shape and evoke specific moods and movements. Lastly, it reflects on what this may say about fanization processes more broadly.

Period	28-May-2023
Event title	The 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference: Reclaiming Authenticity in Communication
Event type	Conference
Location	Toronto, CanadaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International