Abstract
This thesis maps the processes of fan and celebrity identity co-construction in the boy band One Direction. Building on Lauren Berlant’s conception of intimacy as the desire for shared narratives, and Judith Butler’s assertion that identity is inherently performative, I show that fan production, as it responds to and shapes One Direction’s song lyrics and mass media presence, offers significant opportunities for co-construction between fans and the group. This co-construction emphasises the performative nature of identity and allows for representations of identity in One Direction to be simultaneously normative and malleable in the hands of fans. Further, this co-construction draws attention to the tension between the desire for intimacy with the celebrity and the inherent distance between celebrity and fan.