Your world, your imagination : community construction in the online multiplayer game Second life

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dc.contributor.advisorHarp, Dustin, 1968-en
dc.creatorZheng, Nan, Ph.D.en
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-20T14:06:53Z
dc.date.available2016-07-20T14:06:53Z
dc.date.issued2006-12en
dc.description.abstractCohen (1985) and Anderson (1983) argued that community is imagined among its participants who define it and give it meaning. Following this theoretical approach, this study explores how a community is constructed through people’s different online social experiences. Using textual analysis of player-run newspapers and blogs, this study investigates the community construction of Second Life-an online three-dimensional multiplayer game. The findings suggest that Second Life is a community in which 1) social aggregations are based on a sense of virtual geographical belonging; 2) different in-game ideologies and real world politics are applied as symbolic constructions of sub-communities; 3) people’s relationships are not only formed upon online fantasies, but also can be developed into strong social ties that provide material aid in real life.en
dc.description.departmentJournalism and Mediaen
dc.format.mediumelectronicen
dc.identifierdoi:10.15781/T22F7JR3Ren
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/39141en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.relation.ispartofUT Electronic Theses and Dissertationsen
dc.rightsCopyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en
dc.rights.restrictionRestricteden
dc.subjectCommunity constructionen
dc.subjectOnline experienceen
dc.subjectSecond Life (computer game)en
dc.titleYour world, your imagination : community construction in the online multiplayer game Second lifeen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.genreThesisen
thesis.degree.departmentJournalismen
thesis.degree.disciplineJournalismen
thesis.degree.grantorThe University of Texas at Austinen
thesis.degree.levelMastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen

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