The content of the master’s thesis called Transitioning Between the Fantasy and Material
Worlds: The Fantasy Convention on Cres and the Creation, Interweaving, and Merging of
Spaces, as presented in the following chapters, is based firstly on anthropological frameworks
for researching play and playing as an important social and cultural phenomenon secondly on
theoretical perspectives on space as an exceptionally flexible concept within the field of
anthropological research, and thirdly on ethnographic research into the interweaving of the
tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with other social phenomena within this
subculture, such as costume-making and participation in fantasy conventions.
Particular attention is devoted to the fantasy convention Isle of Wonders (Otok čudes) on the
Croatian island of Cres, through which I explore the significance of such gatherings for both
participants and event organizers. In addition to the convention on Cres, the final part of the
thesis introduces two other locations within the Slovenian context: the Jedro club and the
convention On the Edge of the Invisible (Na meji nevidnega), where large-scale gatherings take
place, including fantasy gaming, (public) costume performances, and social interactions among
individuals who share an enthusiasm for imaginary worlds found in popular culture.
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