Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media · 1998 · 104 citations · 49 references
Social SciencesCommunicationCultural StudiesEthnographyMedia StudiesMedia TheoryDigital MediaEthnographic MethodsEthnographic ResearchMedia AnthropologyNew MediaVirtual CommunitiesAudience-centred InterpretationInterpretation Of Social ActionOnline EthnographySocial PresenceVirtual Community Identity
Ethnography has long examined audience interpretation and social action, and with the Internet it is now applied to computer‑mediated communication practices. The article evaluates strategies for studying the new cultural arena of virtual media, where embodiment and identity differ from traditional media reception. The study examines four ethnographic engagement areas in virtual contexts: virtual community boundaries, social presence, entry and membership strategies, and technical data generation utilities. The article discusses ethical issues and outlines future research possibilities.
For more than twenty years, ethnography has been used to study audience interpretation and social action. With the advent of the Internet, this approach is now being applied to the cultural practices of computer‐mediated communication. This article appraises some strategies for studying a new cultural arena in which aspects of embodiment and identity differ significantly from traditional media reception. Four areas of ethnographic engagement with virtual contexts are examined: the nature and boundaries of virtual community, the social presence of participation, social strategies of entry and membership, and technical utilities of data generation. Ethical issues and future possibilities for research are also discussed.
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