Fandom as an Agent of Socialization of Youth (the Case of Harry Potter Fandom)

"Fandom" is the one of the latest phenomena of post-industrial society. Fandom is including the features of the fan club, subculture and Internet communities. Modern fandom is a social group formed around a media brand. The youth is the biggest part of any fandom, which is a special social stratum that has a number of distinctive characteristics. One of these features is the specificity of the socialization of the age, named the formation of self-identity of the young person. Socialization mechanisms that exist within the fandom are not unique usually. This fact underlines the hybrid nature of this social phenomenon. Formation of the young man's identity involves a complex process that involves all areas of activity of each individual. Fandom as a subculture allows boys and girls to build their own system of values, create principles to help find the direction of life. Becoming identity contribute socializative functions performed fandom, including interaction with like-minded people, the possibility of disclosure of creativity, psychosocial moratorium, ritualization of everyday processes. Membership in the fandom and, to some extent, the success of socialization, defined sustainable symbolic system, which, on the one hand, denotes membership in fandoms, on the other - determines the dependence on the opinions of others.