|
Read this to me
|
Part one point five!
We continue where we left off and dive further into the R3 Team’s viewpoint on what makes The R3 Journal so special. This bite-sized portion of our opinions should only take a few minutes to reach the end. Are you ready for more about R3 in our own words, ARMY to ARMY?
Let’s get it!
THE R3 TEAM (respondents)
Ana C. Ribeiro – Editorial Board
Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson – Editorial Board
Crystal Rae – Peer Reviewer
Eva Fernandez – C.C. Committee, Design Team & A.A. Editorial Team
Joselyn – Peer Reviewer
Lukne – Peer Reviewer & Marketing Team
Lyna Etienne – Editorial Board
Marri J. Wright – Peer Reviewer & Marketing Team
Nicole Santero – Managing Editor, Peer Reviewer & Marketing Team
Shelley Hoani – Peer Reviewer & S.S. Team
Vanessa Gedu – A.A. Managing Editor
Yumi Ramos – Peer Reviewer & Design Team
Standing Out
With the continuing rise of ARMY creative spaces, the variety of ARMY-generated content can be overwhelming. Figuring out what makes each space different from the next isn’t always easy, especially when they might share similar themes, ideas, and names.
Although ARMY is vastly diverse and its reach is global, the communities within the fandom can sometimes feel small and easily overlap and intersect without trying. Yet, there are some ways that R3 stands apart from other creative and academic fandom spaces yet remains connected to the whole.
What makes The Rhizomatic Revolution Review [20130613] special?
Lukne: It’s the first and only academic journal about BTS and ARMY.
Ana C: Its very existence is so impressive to me. It’s not everyday that you see an academic journal 100% dedicated to discussions on one music group – to be honest, I researched and I couldn’t find any.
Another thing that’s very special about us is how diverse our team is. We have people from all over the world, different ages, different backgrounds and fields of expertise. We are working to make it even more inclusive, especially in language. But what we have so far is already so special.
Marrí: I think a huge component that makes it special is the way it incorporates the three pillars of research, personal stories, and art into an online peer-reviewed archive for BTS and ARMY. I don’t know any other academic journals, but I’m pretty sure none are doing it like this, with all three balancing one another out to tell the tale of BTS and ARMY from so many points of view.
Why are Academic Articles important to include in The R3 Journal?
Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson: Academic Articles are important because they (like our other categories) are a way of sharing knowledge. We are interdisciplinary, so this means we get to see BTS and ARMY related research that is happening across many fields of study. In many ways, we are a window into the plethora of research and writing being conducted about BTS and ARMY around the world because of our scope.
Vanessa: Academic Articles show both BTS and ARMY in a different angle. Whether it be an economic analysis of Bangtan or a deep dive into their art from the point of view of an 18-year-old student, all of them are valuable pieces to understanding both the artist and the fan.
Eva: Because from these we can read concise data, research and profound analysis both from inside ARMY and outside.
Why are Supplemental Stories important to include in The R3 Journal?
Vanessa: There’s nothing, in my opinion, more important to showcase diversity and impact other than people’s individual stories. If you’re curious about the impact scale then nothing better than asking the impacted.
Shelley: Supplemental Stories allow contributors to speak their truths according to the journeys that each has experienced with BTS. Each story is unashamedly subjective, rich in meaning, and transformational in nature. For contributors, it is a space to celebrate, reflect, share, and inspire others. At the same time creating opportunities for readers to reflect on their own journeys as well.
Why are Creative Collections important to include in The R3 Journal?
Vanessa: Who doesn’t love a good fan-art, huh?
Marrí: They show that the written word and research aren’t always the most important focus when engaging with a peer-reviewed journal. Other creations that may or may not include words can be inspired by BTS and appreciated by fans and non-fans alike. It’s important for people to be able to express their experiences, research, thoughts and ideas in any medium that best translates the intention to the audience. These works may also inspire others to create or to become more interested in the creation’s original inspiration and/or to understand and experience BTS in a different or new way.
Shelley: Creative Collections acknowledge that personal expression manifests itself in many forms. All of which are valid, meaningful, and inspiring.
How do ARMY stories fit into the scope of R3?
Lukne: ARMY stories provide the personal/identity-related insights into the fandom which are so important for a fandom that regularly gets misconstrued and stereotyped as only one type of person.
Shelley: For me, ARMY stories are the heart of R3. Whether these stories are expressed as academic articles, creative collections or personal narratives, they all have a place and a purpose.
Vanessa: Other than to satisfy my own “aww” moment? Personally, I just love it. I love people’s personal stories in regard to their experience with the fandom and BTS. Well, I love personal stories in general but that’s another topic. Stories hold the essence of the individuals and being someone who something so special is shared with makes me really happy. I always enjoy it.
Lyna: Beyond purely academic contents, ARMY have a seven year legacy they can talk about, from their beginning as a fandom, through everything they have been through, until today. They represent people of every generation, gender, country and skin color; and because of this diversity, they can speak for people around the world, their troubles and anxieties, their hopes for a better future, their everyday lives with both sadness and happiness. ARMY have decades of societal knowledge they can share so of course it fits into R3’s scope.
Crystal Rae: Although academic articles are a huge part of this journal, all research comes from a love of something. That “something” then becomes the subject of our research to find answers to deeper questions. ARMY Stories fit into this journal because the personal story of ARMY today and could become a deep subject of research later.
How does artwork fit into the scope of this online journal?
Yumi: I think art fits in an interdisciplinary journal just as much as science and business do. Anytime where people are given the opportunity to showcase their talents, their hard work, and dedication deserves a chance to be seen and appreciated and even criticized! That’s the whole point of art! So there’s really no reason, in my honest opinion, for artworks to be disconnected in a journal about rhizomatic connections, is there?
Lukne: Artwork and other creative efforts provide the other side of the story for an academic journal and helps to paint a fuller picture of the fandom.
Lyna: Art is constantly undergoing evolution. It does not only stop at what we see in museums but continues out on the street and in our homes. It is how people express themselves out of the scholarly context, freely, whether it’s music, painting, writing, creating with various media. Sharing one’s art is a way of connecting to others and if an individual can do that, then so can a rhizome and this journal.
Crystal Rae: BTS have always included art in their work. From simple backgrounds, to the lyrics themselves, art is a huge part of the way BTS sees the world. Sometimes, words can not express enough the love you have for something, so people draw, dance, sing, paint, sculpt and more to express that love. This journal is a place where all forms of art can be expressed and shared with the world.
How does one find and/or organize sources for academic articles?
Lukne: Google Scholar and Research Gate are good places to start if one doesn’t have any institutional affiliations. If one has institutional affiliations, checking the databases that your institution subscribes to is always useful. I am kind of old-school and inefficient in keeping track of the sources and usually just collect them in a Word doc.
Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson: This can vary depending on what kind of article you are writing, but what I’m offering here is pretty standard. First, you have a research question or inquiry, so I’d say you want to read around to see what others have written. Think about it like a conversation. Before you step in to offer your perspective, you need to listen to what others have said. This is one way your source work will help. You are reading to see if there is scholarship about your topic or areas related to bigger issues around your focus. You’ll need to find what methods and methodologies are going to help you answer your question, and you’ll need sources to help your reader understand those, too. Sources can also help to provide context or history for your article. What information do your readers need to have to be able to understand the claims you are making?
Organizing one’s sources (whether it be for the notes you take, or the final article you write) is super important. I suggest spending time thinking about how best to organize your notes in a way that makes it easy for you to track sources, pull quotes, and find citations.
Nicole: Finding and organizing sources may sometimes feel like a daunting part of the research process, and some may not know where to even start. Once you’ve decided on a topic, think of the top keywords that best represent your area of focus and do a search on Google Scholar to see if previous related studies have been conducted. Oftentimes, once you start exploring a few articles, you’ll be able to discover even more through the sources within those works.
Joselyn: Sources for academic articles can be found on various online journals. Google Scholar is always a good place to start your search. Unfortunately, many papers are only available for purchase, but if you are a student, these resources are often available for free through your school library. Additionally, you may often find that authors upload the pre-print of their manuscripts for free on archive sites.
As for organization, bibliography tools such as Mendeley or Zotero are quite helpful for keeping everything in order.
Wow. Congratulations, you made it to the end of part one! If you find yourself with more questions about the journal and submissions, please send them to us via Twitter or Instagram @TheR3Journal with the #AskR3 tag. We’ll do our best to share our answers and advice as soon as we can. Thank you for joining the rhizome.
We hope you’re enjoying the first issue of The Rhizomatic Revolution Review [20130613], available October 1st, 2020!