Biopowered

In Chapter 9 , I explore whether panda fandom offers clues for constructing more-than-human worlds, while acknowledging that the panda–fan relationship must be contextualized within the forces of capitalism, biopower, and nationalism. I attempt to demonstrate that, precisely because biopower plays such a powerful and central role in the panda fandom, and it is also possible to resist and rethink the dynamics of the fandom, even while being “biopowered” – a concept that Abram (2012) refers to as “making sense” through the sensuous and embodied experience. I show that panda fans have engaged with this possibility through their loving relationship with the giant panda, allowing the pandas to “just be there” and embracing reciprocal participation. Chapter 9 suggests that the loving strategies employed by panda fans toward the giant panda offer a less violent, more encompassing model for building relationships with more-than-human beings.