Chapter 9 Quiz
20 questions. Mix of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. Suggested time: 30 minutes.
Part A: Multiple Choice (1 point each)
1. The social model of disability holds that: - a) Disability is caused by individual biological impairment - b) Disability is produced by social environments designed for a particular range of bodies and minds - c) Disability is primarily a mental health issue - d) Disability is overcome through sufficient personal effort
2. Crip theory, as applied to fan studies, would primarily direct attention toward: - a) How to add accessibility features to existing conventions - b) How normative assumptions about proper bodies and sociality are embedded in fan culture's structures - c) The medical needs of disabled fans - d) Creating separate fan spaces for disabled people
3. The "special interest" concept in autistic community usage refers to: - a) Financial investments made by autistic fans - b) A domain of intense, highly motivated, focused engagement characteristic of many autistic people - c) Special programming tracks at conventions for autistic attendees - d) The specific interest in science fiction that autistic people share
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the access functions of online fandom identified in Section 9.4? - a) Physical access (no need to leave home) - b) Sensory control over the participation environment - c) Guaranteed cure for social anxiety - d) Pseudonymous identity construction separate from disabled body
5. "Compulsory able-bodiedness," a concept from Robert McRuer's crip theory, refers to: - a) Legal requirements for accessible buildings - b) The cultural requirement to maintain, approximate, or aspire to an able-bodied norm - c) The physical demands of convention attendance - d) Medical standards for disability determination
6. Research on autism and online fan communities has found that: - a) Autistic people cannot genuinely participate in fan communities - b) Online fandom provides social connection formats that many autistic people can sustain when in-person interaction is overwhelming - c) Autistic fans prefer in-person convention experiences over online interaction - d) Fan communities should develop separate tracks for autistic and non-autistic members
7. "Asynchronous communication" describes: - a) Communication that requires all parties to be present simultaneously - b) Communication that does not require simultaneous real-time participation from all parties - c) Communication conducted in multiple languages simultaneously - d) Communication that is encrypted for privacy
8. The "cure narrative" in disability representation refers to: - a) Fan fiction that depicts medical procedures accurately - b) Stories in which disability is resolved through cure, coded as narrative triumph - c) Fan fiction that advocates for disability rights - d) Medical representation in science fiction
9. "Spoon Theory," developed by Christine Miserandino, is used in chronic illness communities to describe: - a) Dietary management for chronic illness - b) Energy management: the idea that daily tasks each cost a unit of limited energy - c) The tools needed for fan wiki maintenance - d) A metaphor for fan community relationships
10. The chapter argues that the COVID-19 pandemic's shift to virtual fan events was significant because: - a) It reduced fan community participation overall - b) It demonstrated what full access for disabled fans could look like - c) It showed that in-person conventions are always preferable - d) It created new forms of ableist exclusion
Part B: True/False (1 point each)
11. The medical model of disability is more consistent with disability rights advocacy than the social model. (True / False)
12. Research consistently shows that autistic people are overrepresented in certain fan communities, particularly science fiction, anime, and gaming fandoms. (True / False)
13. Online fandom's text-based structure is universally more accessible for all neurodivergent people than voice-based communication. (True / False)
14. The chapter argues that fandom is a therapy for disability that can substitute for professional support. (True / False)
15. "Disability AUs" (alternate universe fan fiction) are universally criticized across disability communities as exploitative. (True / False)
Part C: Short Answer (3 points each)
16. Define "neurodiversity" and explain why the concept is relevant to understanding elevated neurodivergent participation rates in certain fan communities. (3–5 sentences)
17. Explain the "two-tier fandom" problem described in Section 9.5. What normative assumption about fan engagement does it encode, and how does crip theory critique that assumption? (4–6 sentences)
18. The chapter discusses a debate in fan fiction communities about who has standing to write disabled characters. Describe the three main positions in this debate and briefly evaluate each. (5–7 sentences)
19. How does pseudonymity in online fan communities function as an access technology for disabled fans? Use a specific example from the running case studies. (3–5 sentences)
20. How does the intersection of disability with other identities (race, queerness, etc.) complicate single-axis analyses of disabled fan experience? Use Sam Nakamura's example. (4–6 sentences)
Answer Key
- b
- b
- b
- c
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- False (the social model is more consistent with disability rights advocacy)
- True
- False (this is true for some neurodivergent people, particularly some autistic people who prefer written communication, but it is not universal — the chapter emphasizes variation within neurodivergent populations)
- False (the chapter explicitly argues against conflating fan engagement with professional support)
- False (the chapter notes that disability AUs have been both criticized and defended, with defenders arguing that fan fiction by disabled writers can provide representation not available in canon) 16–20: See chapter sections 9.3, 9.5, 9.6, 9.4, and 9.7 respectively for full answer guidance.