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[E]ven the academics sympathetic to fan fiction admit a lot of it is based on "subversive" or "resistant" readings of the source text. In additional the "preferred" or "dominant" reading of the "resistant" reading is determined by the fan group. Now the academics waffle a bit here because they would really like to portray the fan reading as some sort of egalitarian process but given human nature there are hierarchies of "authority".

I think what you're saying here is that certain fan readings are more popular than others? (If not, ignore the rest of the comment. *g*)

Which is absolutely true--and which readings are more popular may also vary by community, so (to use examples from my first fandom) the Draco fans and the Snape fans will have radically different readings of Slytherin issues than will the people mostly busy fighting over whether Hermione should end up with Harry or Ron. And within each community, particular fanon is definitely privileged over other fanon (for instance, being more sympathetic to Slytherins tracks pretty clearly with seeing the Marauders and Fred and George Weasley as bullies rather than humorous pranksters).

So there are definitely hierarchies of acceptable readings--I certainly didn't mean to argue that that is not the case--but at the same time, there is the ethos among Pretty Princess Monsters Blargh that if you come up with a reading, share it, and we'll judge it based on the evidence. "That's an interesting idea" is just as likely to launch a dozen fics exploring it as is "OMG I totally agree with you!!!!" (Especially because some fic writers write fic sympathetic to a character or situation they don't like to explore their feelings about it and see if they can't talk themselves into it. Talking myself through Lily's situation as shown in DH flashbacks made me warm up to her considerably.)

And the fact that Pretty Princess Monsters Blargh are having these conversations at all is noteworthy. Scary Ponies Oh No will discuss things, too, but it always seems more focused on "what REALLY happened" (e.g., did Greedo shoot first?) than "what COULD have happened", as Pretty Princess Monsters Blargh often are (sweeping generalizations! lots of exceptions!). I commented to someone else that there does seem (again, to an outsider) to be a lot of vitriol splashing around whenever Scary Ponies Oh No argue over something, possibly because Scary Ponies Oh No culture seems to accept ONE canon, entirely subject to the whims of the PTB, so which hastily fanwanked explanation for a plot hole gets accepted is a Major Deal. Among Pretty Princess Monsters Blargh, we're all used to picking and choosing our own canon to a certain extent, and we tend to accept the idea of personal fanon much more. "You don't think that's what happened? Write your own fic" isn't a response available to the Scary Ponies Oh No, because fanfiction isn't one of their culturally accepted activities.

So I'd argue that the Pretty Princess Monsters Blargh view of canon tends to be more meritocratic--not necessarily egalitarian precisely--to the point that actual canon can be considered "not canon" ("still waiting for the seventh Harry Potter book", Epilogue? What Epilogue?, and other forms of "I just like to pretend that never happened") by a perfectly rational fan. In comparison, Scary Ponies Oh No seem to have a much more top-down view of canon, wherein it is handed down from on high and only if you really dislike the creator will you disregard their canon. (*cough*George Lucas*cough*)