The Cyber-Ethnographic (Re)Construction of Two Feminist Online Communities

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2642595
AutoresKatie J Ward, Katie Ward (0000-0003-2546-5480, autor de correspondencia)
Año1999
Volumen4
Número1
Páginas51-64
Fecha de publicación1999-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociological Research Online (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1360-7804 • E-ISSN: 1360-7804
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5153/sro.222
OpenAlexW2056249223
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas22
Referencias citadas12

The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that cyber-ethnography is the most appropriate tool in reaching an understanding of the online community. I argue that cyber-ethnography's reflexive qualities allow the characteristics of the online community to emerge. I demonstrate, through the cyber-ethnographic exploration of two feminist online communities, how the participants define their own perimeters. I suggest that the online community has two main characteristics. Through its convergence with the physical, the online community's existence is apparent, though not unconditionally virtual. Indeed, the online community does not compete with, or supersede physical space, rather a hybrid space emerges that is neither absolutely physical or virtual. Secondly, I depict the participants as having a transitory, unconditional relationship with the online community. That is; they will only participate for short periods when they require use of the resources that the online community has to offer

Convergence (economics · Epistemology · Ethnography · Online community · Reflexivity · Social science · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · The Internet · Virtual community · World Wide Web · Anthropology · Anthropology: Ethics, History, Culture · Computer Science · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods