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Identity and Performance

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Cosplay and the Art of Play

Part of the book series: Leisure Studies in a Global Era ((LSGE))

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Abstract

This chapter explores the complex and often thorny issue of identity and cosplay, and in particular, it considers cosplay as a performance of identity. The chapter begins with a consideration of identity as a (largely) modern concept and also reflects on the importance of identity in art. Next, we consider the role of performance in cosplay and how this has been previously theorised. Finally, the chapter focuses on the individualisation of society, how identity has (possibly) changed in a digital era, and concludes with a discussion on the death (and persistence) of identity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Performativity is a concept most commonly associated with Butler, but it is worth noting that she uses the terms performance and performativity interchangeably.

  2. 2.

    Sora and Demyx are characters from Kingdom Hearts, a video game that incorporates Disney characters with a specially created world by Square Enix, the designer of Final Fantasy . Originally released in 2002, there have been several sequels and spin-offs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Salford, Salford, UK

    Garry Crawford & David Hancock

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  1. Garry Crawford
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  2. David Hancock
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Correspondence to Garry Crawford .

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Crawford, G., Hancock, D. (2019). Identity and Performance. In: Cosplay and the Art of Play. Leisure Studies in a Global Era. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15966-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15966-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15965-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15966-5

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