Playing Pirates: The Construction of Shared Fantasy and Identity Performance in theRenaissance Festival Subculture

This study examines how the renaissance festival setting offers a context for non-normative identity performance within a carnivalesque setting in which the construction of shared fantasy is the basis of social processes. It also asks how what social forces, such as popular media’s romanticized version of history, may influence participants’ identity expression and interactions in the subculture as a setting in which they can find meaningful interaction with others who share their social paradigm. Relevant findings can help us better understand identity performance, as well as how culture is constructed through interactions based on shared fantasy. Findings and theoretical applications may also apply to similar social venues including science fiction fandom and conventions, massively-multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs), live action role playing (LARP), historical reenactment societies, and even other festival settings in which an alternate, non-normative identity is expressed. The participatory element of this activity, where interaction takes place face to face in an immersive setting which is set apart from the outside world, makes renaissance festivals of particularly interest to sociologists.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology (Arts and Sciences)

Grantor dc:publisher

Ohio University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Dumas, Heather E.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Mattley, Christine

• Sociology
• shared fantasy
• identity
• identity performance
• renaissance faire
• renaissance festival
• renfaire
• historical reenactors
• historical reenactment
• subculture
• fandom
• nerd culture
• geek culture

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1365516030

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:ohiou1365516030