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Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community

Sagardia, Sarah C. P.,
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0886-6963
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1503006726337206

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Communication Studies (Communication).
Fandom is an important element of modern life for many individuals, and while some fan practices are not well known within the mainstream of society, they allow their participants to engage in a community of interest and fulfill their own goals as fans. This study explores the fan practice of cosplaying through the lenses of identity and performance to understand cosplayers' motivations, processes, and benefits as they move through the planning and execution of their cosplays. How do cosplayers communicate identity through their performances? What motivates fans to engage with the fandom community through cosplay, and what role do these performances play in their experience of fandom? How does participation in cosplaying specifically and the fan community broadly shape fans’ conceptions of self and identity? Through in-depth, open-ended respondent interviews, this study explores the relationships between performative fandom, community engagement, and identity work. After inductive analysis of the data, three key themes emerged: cosplay serves as a performance of social engagement, as a performance of the unique self, and as a literal performance for those involved. These themes shed light on the importance of performative fan practices like cosplay for the formation and maintenance of engaged fan communities.
Christina Beck (Committee Chair)
Roger Aden (Committee Member)
Raymie McKerrow (Committee Member)
Roger Cooper (Committee Member)
214 p.
Communication
communication; performance; identity; fandom; cosplay; cosplaying; performative fandom; participatory fandom

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sagardia, , S. C. P. (2017). Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1503006726337206

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sagardia, , Sarah. Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community. 2017. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1503006726337206.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sagardia, , Sarah. "Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1503006726337206

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1503006726337206
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.