It is with sadness that we share the news of the passing of our colleague and friend Kathy Larsen, a teaching assistant professor of writing and scholar of fandom studies in the University Writing Program.
UWP colleagues recalled her deep contributions to the program, faculty and students alike. “Kathy’s bright, brilliant and beautiful thread connected with the threads of the other faculty members, staff, librarians, and students associated with UWP,” stated Pam Presser. Added Derek Malone-France: “I think of her as one of the anchoring souls of our program. And a compass for all of us in so many ways over so many years.”
A lifelong educator, Larsen had taught at GW since 1995, first in the English Department and then in the UWP. Initially an adjunct professor in the program for several years, Larsen became a leading voice for contingent faculty labor at GW. She was instrumental in bringing about a part-time faculty union and was then a stalwart on the steering committee of the George Washington University Faculty Association, which pushed for better labor conditions for everyone at the university.
A leading scholar in fandom studies, Larsen founded and edited the Journal of Fandom Studies with collaborator Lynn Zubernis and co-authored several books in the field, including Fangasm: Supernatural Fan Girls, Fan Culture: Theory/Practice Cambridge Scholars, Fandom At The Crossroads: Celebration, and Shame and Fan/Producer Relationships, all with Zubernis. She also served as chair of the Fan Culture and Theory Area of the Popular Culture Association. Larsen was regularly cited over the years, especially about fans and students of the popular television series “Supernatural.”
Larsen was “a rock star in her field,” according to UWP colleague Heather Schell. Her work on “Supernatural”—her engagement not only with the fandom but with the show's creator and lead actors—set a new standard of research in the field. Larsen and coauthor Lynn Zubernis introduced the cast and creators to the existence of fan fiction, and Larsen liked to speculate that this had shaped some of the plots, characters, and references in the show. The character Chuck wrote fan fiction about the lead characters, and one episode, “Fan Fiction,” featured the performance of a play about the characters.
With support from family, friends, and colleagues, the UWP is establishing the Kathy Larsen Prize for Fandom and Cultural Studies, designed to award excellent research and writing by an undergraduate student at GW. Donations can be made here; please note it is for the Larsen Prize. A special event in her honor, featuring Lynn Zubernis, is also planned for the first week of May on GW’s Mount Vernon campus.
For more on Larsen’s life and legacy, see the recent article by the Hatchet student newspaper and a tribute from her longtime collaborator and friend Lynn Zubernis. You can also hear a 2019 interview with Larsen on WAMU’s “1A.”