Cultures of Virtual Worlds

The JVWR, Volume 1, No. 3

Published: February 24, 2009


The editorial team for this issue includes:

Mark Bell, Telecommunications program, Indiana University, USA

Mia Consalvo, School of Media Arts & Studies, Ohio University, USA

This issue explores virtual worlds as contingent spaces. We examine them for their reliance on traditional cultural norms and practices, their challenges to such elements, and how they grow and evolve relative to the daily lives of their inhabitants. In every way, virtual worlds are constituted by multiple cultures, culture that is ordinary and everyday, culture that is evolving, confusing, challenging, and possibly dangerous and exhilarating as well. The JVWR aims to lead such study and offer vigorous, sustained discussions about how to best understand what we witness both online and offline in relation to virtual worlds.


Issue Editors’ Corner

Culture and virtual worlds: The not-quite-new experiences we study

Mark Bell, Mia Consalvo

Virtual Worlds Round Table

Nick Yee, Liz Losh, Sarah Robbins-Bell

Peer-Reviewed Research Papers

Spectacular Interventions of Second Life: Goon Culture, Griefing, and Disruption in Virtual Spaces

Burcu S. Bakioglu

Knee-High Boots and Six-Pack Abs: Autoethnographic Reflections on Gender and Technology in Second Life

Delia Dumitrica, Georgia Gaden

Striking a Balance between Property and Personality: The Case of the Avatars

Norberto Nuno Gomes de Andrade

On the Dark Side: Gothic Play and Performance in a Virtual World

Mikael Johnson, Tanja Sihvonen

Analyzing Social Identity (Re) Production: Identity Liminal Events in MMORPGs

Javier A Salazar

The Gorean Community in Second Life: Rules of Sexual Inspired Role-Play

Tjarda Sixma

“Because it just looks cool!” – Fashion as character performance: The Case of WoW

Susana Tosca, Lisbeth Klastrup

The Constitution of Collective Memory in Virtual Game Worlds

Anthony Papargyris, Angeliki Poulymenakou

“Think Pieces”

Method and the Virtual: Anecdote, Analogy, Culture

Tom Boellstorff

Artistic Expression in Second Life: What can we learn from creative pioneers of new mediums?

John Lester / Pathfinder Linden

Culture and Practice: What We Do, Not Just Where We Are

Christopher A Paul

Assembled (rush to press papers)

Interconnecting Virtual Worlds

Leonel Morgado