Theses and Dissertations Collection

The Furry community is a sub-culture of the Science Fiction and Fantasy fandoms whose members generally self-identify with fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Furry community members often interact and participate in online Internet-based communities or real world conventions and other informal meetings. The former being the dominant method of interaction for the community where social interaction, role-play, art creation, and other user created content is shared.

The purpose of this case study research was to investigate how members of the furry community self-identify and interact with one another through the use of personal avatars, or 'fursonas,' construct self-identify as a member of the furry fandom, and interact with other furries in this participant culture. This research makes use of voluntary interviews conducted from members among the University of Idaho population, personal digital correspondence with furry historians and artists, and participant observation research at a furry convention in Seattle, Washington to provide additional academic insight and knowledge on the subculture onto the spaces created and occupied by the furry fandom.