DOCSLIB.ORG

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

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Sarah C. P. Sagardia December 2017 © 2017 Sarah C. P. Sagardia. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community by SARAH C. P. SAGARDIA has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Christina S. Beck Professor of Communication Studies Scott Titsworth Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii Abstract SAGARDIA, SARAH C. P., Ph.D., December 2017, Communication Studies Dressing the Part: Communication of Identity in a Performative Fandom Community Director of Dissertation: Christina S. Beck 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. iii Dedication For Christian and Audrey, who have been my greatest sources of joy, support, and understanding throughout this process. Thank you for your unwavering faith in my ability, strength, and perseverance, even when I had lost sight of them. iv Acknowledgments I’d like to sincerely thank the members of my committee for their thoughtful, genuine feedback that helped me refine my work and bring it to a state of completion. My deepest appreciation goes to Christina Beck – thank you for your untiring assistance and meticulous eye throughout the process of editing and revisions. I cannot overstate how much I appreciate your mentorship throughout this entire process. I would also like to thank the faculty and staff of the Communication Department at the University of Dayton for their support and understanding as I worked to balance teaching and writing to finish this project. v Table of Contents Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Scholarly Perspectives on Fandom ............................................................................... 2 What is fandom? ..................................................................................................... 3 Fantasy and play in fandom .................................................................................... 6 Criticisms of fandom and fans ................................................................................ 7 What do fans do? .................................................................................................. 11 Fandom as community. ......................................................................................... 16 Performance ................................................................................................................ 19 Performative Fandom: A New Conception of Fan Activity ....................................... 24 Cosplaying and Fan Conventions ............................................................................... 28 Chapter 2: Theory ............................................................................................................. 34 Performance of Identity .............................................................................................. 35 Equipment for Living .................................................................................................. 40 Communication Scholarship and Fandom .................................................................. 42 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 47 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................... 49 Participants .................................................................................................................. 51 Interview Process ........................................................................................................ 53 Data Analysis .............................................................................................................. 55 Chapter 4: Cosplay as a Performance of Social Engagement ........................................... 57 Social Lubricant .......................................................................................................... 58 Costumes facilitate initial interactions. ................................................................. 59 Costumes facilitate character-driven conversation and role-play. ........................ 75 Costumes facilitate fan communities. ................................................................... 79 vi Positivity ..................................................................................................................... 81 Cosplay promotes an attitude of positivity and hope that appeals to fans. ........... 82 Fans are able to appreciate one another’s skill and creativity through cosplay. ... 84 Cosplaying provides opportunities for mentorship. .............................................. 85 Cosplay can serve as a tool for philanthropic work. ............................................. 87 Fans use cosplay to bring hope and joy to others’ lives. ...................................... 92 Closing Thoughts ........................................................................................................ 94 Chapter 5: Cosplay as a Performance of the Unique Self ................................................. 96 Personal Development ................................................................................................ 97 Cosplayers discover and refine creative skills in order to craft their costumes. ... 98 Cosplaying offers a creative challenge for people who want to push themselves. ............................................................................................................................. 100 Cosplaying as an outlet for artistic expression. .................................................. 103 Fans develop personal and professional skills through cosplay. ........................ 105 Developing competence and confidence through cosplay. ................................. 109 Self-Expression ......................................................................................................... 112 Marking oneself as “Other.” ............................................................................... 113 Character choice highlights important aspects of personal identity. .................. 116 Cosplaying allows for expression of hidden parts of the self. ............................ 122 Cosplay as a tool for identity exploration. .......................................................... 126 Closing Thoughts ...................................................................................................... 128 Chapter 6: Cosplay as a Literal Performance ................................................................. 130 Physicality ................................................................................................................. 132 Physical embodiment of the character ................................................................ 132 Practical considerations and constraints ............................................................. 134 Resemblance to the character (or lack thereof). .................................................. 137 Cosplay requires mental preparation for a convincing performance. ................. 142 Cosplayers have responsibilities to their audiences when portraying their selected characters ............................................................................................................ 146 Escape ......................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fan Cultures Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    FAN CULTURES PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Matthew Hills | 256 pages | 01 Mar 2002 | Taylor & Francis Ltd | 9780415240253 | English | London, United Kingdom Fan Cultures PDF Book In America, the fandom also began as an offshoot of science fiction fandom, with fans bringing imported copies of Japanese manga to conventions. Rather than submitting a work of fan fiction to a zine where, if accepted, it would be photocopied along with other works and sent out to a mailing list, modern fans can post their works online. Those who fall victim to the irrational appeals are manipulated by mass media to essentially display irrational loyalties to an aspect of pop culture. Harris, Cheryl, and Alison Alexander. She addresses her interests in American cultural and social thought through her works. In doing so, they create spaces where they can critique prescriptive ideas of gender, sexuality, and other norms promoted in part by the media industry. Stanfill, Mel. Cresskill, N. In his first book Fan Cultures , Hills outlines a number of contradictions inherent in fan communities such as the necessity for and resistance towards consumerism, the complicated factors associated with hierarchy, and the search for authenticity among several different types of fandom. Therefore, fans must perpetually occupy a space in which they carve out their own unique identity, separate from conventional consumerism but also bolster their credibility with particular collectors items. They rose to stardom separately on their own merits -- Pickford with her beauty, tumbling curls, and winning combination of feisty determination and girlish sweetness, and Fairbanks with his glowing optimism and athletic stunts. Gifs or gif sets can be used to create non-canon scenarios mixing actual content or adding in related content.
    [Show full text]
  • Audiences, Gender and Community in Fan Vidding Katharina M
    University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2011 "Veni, Vidi, Vids!" audiences, gender and community in Fan Vidding Katharina M. Freund University of Wollongong, [email protected] Recommended Citation Freund, Katharina M., "Veni, Vidi, Vids!" audiences, gender and community in Fan Vidding, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, School of Social Sciences, Media and Communications, Faculty of Arts, University of Wollongong, 2011. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/3447 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] “Veni, Vidi, Vids!”: Audiences, Gender and Community in Fan Vidding A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree Doctor of Philosophy From University of Wollongong by Katharina Freund (BA Hons) School of Social Sciences, Media and Communications 2011 CERTIFICATION I, Katharina Freund, declare that this thesis, submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy, in the Arts Faculty, University of Wollongong, is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. The document has not been submitted for qualifications at any other academic institution. Katharina Freund 30 September, 2011 i ABSTRACT This thesis documents and analyses the contemporary community of (mostly) female fan video editors, known as vidders, through a triangulated, ethnographic study. It provides historical and contextual background for the development of the vidding community, and explores the role of agency among this specialised audience community. Utilising semiotic theory, it offers a theoretical language for understanding the structure and function of remix videos.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 the Cultural Economy of Fandom JOHN FISKE
    2 The Cultural Economy of Fandom JOHN FISKE Fandom is a common feature of popular culture in industrial societies. It selects from the repertoire of mass-produced and mass-distributed entertainment certain performers, narratives or genres and takes them into the culture of a self-selected fraction of the people. They are then reworked into an intensely pleasurable, intensely signifying popular culture that is both similar to, yet significantly different from, the culture of more ‘normal’ popular audiences. Fandom is typically associated with cultural forms that the dominant value system denigrates – pop music, romance novels, comics, Hollywood mass-appeal stars (sport, probably because of its appeal to masculinity, is an exception). It is thus associated with the cultural tastes of subordinated formations of the people, particularly with those disempowered by any combination of gender, age, class and race. All popular audiences engage in varying degrees of semiotic productivity, producing meanings and pleasures that pertain to their social situation out of the products of the culture industries. But fans often turn this semiotic productivity into some form of textual production that can circulate among – and thus help to define – the fan community. Fans create a fan culture with its own systems of production and distribution that forms what I shall call a ‘shadow cultural economy’ that lies outside that of the cultural industries yet shares features with them which more normal popular culture lacks. In this essay I wish to use and develop Bourdieu’s metaphor of 30 THE CULTURAL ECONOMY OF FANDOM describing culture as an economy in which people invest and accumulate capital.
    [Show full text]
  • Expressions in Fan Culture
    Háskóli Íslands Hugvísindasvið Japanskt mál og menning Expressions in Fan Culture Cosplay, Fan Art, Fan Fiction Ritgerð til BA-prófs í japönsku máli og menningu Ragnhildur Björk Jóhannsdóttir Kt.: 210393-2189 Leiðbeinandi: Gunnella Þorgeirsdóttir Maí 2017 Expressions in Fan Culture Abstract This composition is a BA thesis for Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Iceland. In this essay, I will give the reader a little insight into the world of fan culture and will be focusing on how fans express themselves. Fans get inspired by books, movies and television programmes to create all kinds of fan work; whether it is fan fiction, fan art, doujinshi, cosplay, or any other creations. Furthermore, the thesis will explore fan culture as it presents itself in Japan and compare it to fan culture in Europe and the USA. I will discuss the effect these creations, although mainly fan fiction, has on authors of popular media and on social media and how the Internet has made it easier for fans all over the world to connect, as well as for fans and creators to connect. 2 Expressions in Fan Culture Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 2 Contents .................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4 What is Fan Culture ..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • An Examination of Otaku Masculinity in Japan
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`=&$II;AUCFWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWY& & (C\F<&AH&7A>?<>?=&WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW_& & (C\F<=WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWa& & 2>?;A@ED?KA>WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWb& & 7BCI?<;&S]&/K=?A;KDCF&7A>?<c?WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWSQ& & 7BCI?<;&Q]&'?CPE&K>&?B<&:;<=<>?&+CGWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWQQ& & 7BCI?<;&Y]&3C=DEFK>K?G&K>&9CIC>]&'?CPE&C>@&4CFC;GJ<>WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWYS& & 7A>DFE=KA>WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW^R&
    [Show full text]
  • The Otaku Phenomenon : Pop Culture, Fandom, and Religiosity in Contemporary Japan
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2017 The otaku phenomenon : pop culture, fandom, and religiosity in contemporary Japan. Kendra Nicole Sheehan University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, Japanese Studies Commons, and the Other Religion Commons Recommended Citation Sheehan, Kendra Nicole, "The otaku phenomenon : pop culture, fandom, and religiosity in contemporary Japan." (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2850. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2850 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE OTAKU PHENOMENON: POP CULTURE, FANDOM, AND RELIGIOSITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN By Kendra Nicole Sheehan B.A., University of Louisville, 2010 M.A., University of Louisville, 2012 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities Department of Humanities University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky December 2017 Copyright 2017 by Kendra Nicole Sheehan All rights reserved THE OTAKU PHENOMENON: POP CULTURE, FANDOM, AND RELIGIOSITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN By Kendra Nicole Sheehan B.A., University of Louisville, 2010 M.A., University of Louisville, 2012 A Dissertation Approved on November 17, 2017 by the following Dissertation Committee: __________________________________ Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Significance of Anime As a Novel Animation Form, Referencing Selected Works by Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Oshii
    The significance of anime as a novel animation form, referencing selected works by Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Oshii Ywain Tomos submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Aberystwyth University Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, September 2013 DECLARATION This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed………………………………………………………(candidate) Date …………………………………………………. STATEMENT 1 This dissertation is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged explicit references. A bibliography is appended. Signed………………………………………………………(candidate) Date …………………………………………………. STATEMENT 2 I hereby give consent for my dissertation, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed………………………………………………………(candidate) Date …………………………………………………. 2 Acknowledgements I would to take this opportunity to sincerely thank my supervisors, Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones and Dr Dafydd Sills-Jones for all their help and support during this research study. Thanks are also due to my colleagues in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University for their friendship during my time at Aberystwyth. I would also like to thank Prof Josephine Berndt and Dr Sheuo Gan, Kyoto Seiko University, Kyoto for their valuable insights during my visit in 2011. In addition, I would like to express my thanks to the Coleg Cenedlaethol for the scholarship and the opportunity to develop research skills in the Welsh language. Finally I would like to thank my wife Tomoko for her support, patience and tolerance over the last four years – diolch o’r galon Tomoko, ありがとう 智子.
    [Show full text]
  • The Formation of Temporary Communities in Anime Fandom: a Story of Bottom-Up Globalization ______
    THE FORMATION OF TEMPORARY COMMUNITIES IN ANIME FANDOM: A STORY OF BOTTOM-UP GLOBALIZATION ____________________________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Fullerton ____________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Geography ____________________________________ By Cynthia R. Davis Thesis Committee Approval: Mark Drayse, Department of Geography & the Environment, Chair Jonathan Taylor, Department of Geography & the Environment Zia Salim, Department of Geography & the Environment Summer, 2017 ABSTRACT Japanese animation, commonly referred to as anime, has earned a strong foothold in the American entertainment industry over the last few decades. Anime is known by many to be a more mature option for animation fans since Western animation has typically been sanitized to be “kid-friendly.” This thesis explores how this came to be, by exploring the following questions: (1) What were the differences in the development and perception of the animation industries in Japan and the United States? (2) Why/how did people in the United States take such interest in anime? (3) What is the role of anime conventions within the anime fandom community, both historically and in the present? These questions were answered with a mix of historical research, mapping, and interviews that were conducted in 2015 at Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime convention. This thesis concludes that anime would not have succeeded as it has in the United States without the heavy involvement of domestic animation fans. Fans created networks, clubs, and conventions that allowed for the exchange of information on anime, before Japanese companies started to officially release anime titles for distribution in the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • Southern Fandom Confederation Bulletin
    Southern Fandom Confederation Bulletin Volume 6, No. 6: October, 1996 Southern Fandom Confederation Contents Ad Rates The Carpetbagger..................................................................... 1 Type Full-Page Half-Page 1/4 Page Another Con Report................................................................4 Fan $25.00 $12.50 $7.25 Treasurer's Report................................................................... 5 Mad Dog's Southern Convention Listing............................. 6 Pro $50.00 $25.00 $12.50 Southern Fanzines................................................................... 8 Southern Fandom on the Web................................................9 Addresses Southern Clubs...................................................................... 10 Letters..................................................................................... 13 Physical Mail: SFC/DSC By-laws...................................................... 20 President Tom Feller, Box 13626,Jackson, MS 39236-3626 Cover Artist........................................................John Martello Vice-President Bill Francis, P.O. Box 1271, Policies Brunswick, GA 31521 The Southern Fandom Confederation Bulletin Secretary-Treasurer Judy Bemis, 1405 (SFCB) Vol. 6, No. 6, October, 1996, is the official Waterwinds CT,Wake Forest, NC 27587 publication of the Southern Fandom Confederation (SFC), a not-for-profit literary organization and J. R. Madden, 7515 Shermgham Avenue, Baton information clearinghouse dedicated to the service of Rouge, LA 70808-5762
    [Show full text]
  • Pop Culture Programming for Adults
    Pop Culture Programming for Adults Krista Miller- Poughkeepsie Public Library District Chris Morgan- Newburgh Free Library We Love Pop Culture! Pop Culture Programming for Adults -What is Popular Culture? -What are Fandoms? -Sources for Keeping Track of Trends -Examples of Pop Culture Programs -Examples of Immersive Programs What’s Pop Culture? -Pop Culture or Popular Culture is culture that is produced for the masses. Popular Culture is accessible, and consumed by a mass audience. Includes Entertainment or mass media (i.e. Movies, Television, Books, and Gaming Why Is It Important? Popular Culture… -creates shared experiences and narratives -helps people connect (provides a foundation for social interaction) - is engaging -is an equalizer More about Millennials Millennials are... -Patrons that are 23-38 years old -Value experiences over things -Largest generation and ⅓ of the population -Tech-Savy and early-adopters of new social media platforms -53% have used a public library or bookmobile in past 12 months -Interests change frequently Millennials are nostalgic A Brief History of... -C. 1897 Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts write parodies and pastiches continuing his story ( the first examples of fanfiction) -1939 The First World Science Fiction Convention was held in New York, first recorded instance of Cosplay -1964- The first comic book convention takes place in New York City -1967- The first Fanfic journal Spocknalia is published, first Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist and Best Fan Writer given -1969 First San Diego Comic Con Held -1990
    [Show full text]
  • Developing Communities
    Developing 1 Communities Jerry W. Robinson, Jr., and Gary Paul Green BEHAVIOR OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter and completing the online learning activities, students should be able to 1. Understand the criticism of the concept of “community.” 2. Define community of place. 3. Differentiate between community development and economic development. 4. Describe the social forces that led to the rise of the community development field. 5. Differentiate between development “of” community and development “in” community. 6. Identify issues that influence the interests of residents in specific localities. 7. Understand the role of participation in the community development process. 8. Distinguish between community service-learning and volunteering/community service. ________________________________________ Introduction Much has been written in recent years about the loss of community and the implications for civil society (Putnam, 2000). Globalization has restructured economic, political, and social relationships at the local level. Technological and social changes have opened new paths for sharing collective interests, such as social networking sites on the Internet and mass media that link individuals to a common culture. Corporations and financial institutions shift capital around the globe to seek out more profitable locations for doing business. Workers increasingly move to places where they can find better job opportu - nities. All of these factors undermine the sense of community in places. 1 2 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Although our social relationships and interests are no longer limited to local communities, the power of place remains. Local issues, such as education, housing, health, and jobs, are critical concerns for most residents. There continues to be interest in mobilizing local residents to build assets that improve their quality of life (Green & Haines, 2007; Kretzmann & McKnight, 1993).
    [Show full text]
  • 1 the Role of Assets in Community-Based Development 3
    The Role of Assets in Community-Based 1 Development ommunity development’s intellectual roots are in several academic C disciplines, including sociology, economics, political science, planning, social work, and even architecture. The interdisciplinary approach of com- munity development has many advantages, but it also presents some ana- lytical problems. It lacks a common language, a conceptual framework, and a set of agreed-upon issues or problems. Community development also is frequently driven more by practice than by theory. There also is distributeconsiderable debate among practitioners whether community development is primarily a process or an outcome. or Community development has always had a diverse set of objectives: solv- ing local problems (e.g., unemployment and poverty), addressing inequalities of wealth and power, promoting democracy, and building a sense of com- munity (Rubin & Rubin, 1992). As a result, it has been defined in a variety of ways, including local economic development,post, political empowerment, service provision, real estate development, comprehensive planning, and job training. In this book, we do not overcome these ambiguities, but we define some of the major concepts and issues for which there is considerable agree- ment in the community development field today. We believe the asset approach offers the best potentialcopy, for providing a common conceptual basis for community development theory and for practitioners. We begin with one of the most slippery terms—community. not BOX 1.1 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FACTS •• RacialDo and ethnic minorities account for 83% of the growth in metropolitan areas. •• One out of eight Americans is an immigrant, and half of the foreign born live in a few of the largest metropolitan areas.
    [Show full text]