Fans and Fanfic Studies and Research Group
History of NEPF²
The coordinator from left to right: Ticiane, Natália, Julia e Letícia.
About NEPF² and our object of study
The Fans and Fanfic Studies and Research Group (or NEPF² - Neh-Pee-Fee) is a group focused on the study of Fandom and Fanfiction as a contemporary literary genre. In addition to articles and research, the project also has several ongoing actions to engage the literary and academic community on the subject. Interviews, fairs, workshops, and Fanfiction workshops in schools are some of the events organized by NEPF².
NEPF²'s objectives include introducing fanfic as a subject of study in the academic community, using fanfic as a tool for teaching foreign languages and producing texts, breaking the stigma surrounding contemporary literature and fanfic, seeking more content and information in an wildy unexplored field like the fanfiction text, and providing a safe space for studying and researching fanfiction, which was previously absent in Brazil.
Fanfic engages with various areas of literature and language, working primarily with creative writing and text production. It also works with the review and translation department in an effort to make its content as accessible as possible, with the beta reader culture being an important characteristic of the fandom community. In addition, it serves as a tool for teaching foreign languages and writing to students of all ages. Fanfiction brings debates about sociology and cultural production, the fandom community, and the development of copyright laws to the heart of the discussions. Fan studies are essential to understanding the current participatory culture of the technological world.
NEPF² opens the dialogue about fanfiction and modern literature as a possible object of study and literary genre, breaking down stigmas commonly associated with female, young, and queer literature, and stimulating discussions about the current challenges in the production of transformative works and content inspired by existing works. Our members are already working to bring fanfiction to middle and high school students in several schools.
The Creation of NEPF
The process of creating NEPF² was, at best, turbulent. Due to the pandemic, Julia Abrahão, the project’s creator and coordinator, was already in her sixth semester of her bachelor’s degree in English and Portuguese when she finally started attending in-person classes at UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro). When she arrived, it became clear that the Brazilian academic community was very rigid and traditional, with no classes in Children’s Literature, Young Adult Literature, digital literature, or any form of alternative contemporary literature. Her desire to study the texts she grew up reading led Julia to create a project that would allow her to research fan fiction. Although the idea faced some criticism and much hesitation, she managed to gather a group of students willing to work with her and try their luck at taking the project forward. That’s how they met Carlos Pires, one of the tenured professors at PACC (Advanced Program in Contemporary Culture) and the only one willing to give them a chance. He agreed to a six-month probationary period to see if the project would take off or not. For months, the students were responsible for building the research group from scratch, from dealing with the universities bureaucracy to defining a color palette and putting up posters around the campus. We developed a logo based on the pun on “fan” meaning both fan and ventilator in English. In addition, coordinator Julia created Fannie, our mascot fan.
NEPF's logo and mascot, Fannie.
The first round of applications for the project received more than 130 applications, and even students from other universities in Brazil were interested in participating. Thus, the group was officially founded on May 31rst, 2022 and, although it began as a project made by students for students, it now also includes professors, master and PHD students foram all over the country. The current coordinators are Julia Abrahão, Letícia Pimenta, Ticiane Café and Natália Seixas.
NEPF² in 2025
NEPF² went through a transition process in 2025. Due to the lack of funds and administrative support at UFRJ, the coordinators made the difficult decision to leave the institution and look for a new home for the group. In this search, we found Professor Adriana Amaral, founder and coordinator of CULTPOP, a pop culture research group that was moving to UFF (Fluminense Federal University). The professor not only welcomed us with open arms, but also made NEPF² the sister group of CULTPOP, fighting for funding and opportunities that the coordinators previously did not have access to. NEPF² is now a research center accessible to everyone with any level of education, with online and in-person projects on the UFF campus. We have projects with SESC, we participate in research groups with FSN Latina and Henry Jenkins, and we are always publishing interviews, lectures and workshops for the community to participate in.
Our coordinator-professor, Adriana Amaral and the CULTPOP Logo.
© 2025 - Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas de Fãs e Fanfic (NEPF²).