cyberanthropology | antropologi.info

Gift economies and open source software: Anthropological reflections

Published on April 13, 2005 by lorenz Posted in anthropology (general), anthropology in the news, cyberanthropology, gift economy gift giving, internet, persons and theories, technology

David Zeitlyn, University of Kent at Canterbury

Building on Eric Raymond’s work this article discusses the motivation and rewards that lead some software engineers to participate in the open source movement. It is suggested that software engineers in the open source movement may have sub-groupings which parallel kinship groups such as lineages. Within such groups gift giving is not necessarily or directly reciprocated, instead members work according to the ‘axiom of kinship amity’ – direct economic calculation is not appropriate within the group. What Bourdieu calls ‘symbolic capital’ can be used to understand how people work in order to enhance the reputation (of themselves and their group). >> continue (pdf) (Link updated 12.4.2021)

(Found in the huge paper collection on Open Source at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Cyberanthropology – links

David Zeitlyn, University of Kent at Canterbury

The Vulgar Spirit of Blogging – ethnographic study of Persian-language weblogs

Published on December 11, 2004 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, cyberanthropology, internet, Middle East

Alireza Doostdar, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, American Anthropologist

This article is an ethnographic study of Persian-language weblogs (blogs), focusing on a divisive argument among Iranian bloggers that came to be known as the “vulgarity debate.”

Sparked by a controversial blogger who ridiculed assertions that Islam was compatible with human rights, the debate revolved around the claim that biogging had a “vulgar spirit” that made it easy for everything from standards of writing to principles of logical reasoning to be undermined. >> continue (pdf) (Link updated)

(via Global Voices)

Alireza Doostdar, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, American Anthropologist

This article is an ethnographic study of Persian-language weblogs (blogs), focusing on a divisive argument among Iranian bloggers that came to be known as the "vulgarity debate."

Sparked by a controversial…

maxmod :: online among the gamemodders – a research-project in cyberanthropology

Published on December 2, 2004 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, cyberanthropology, internet, technology

Alexander Knorr, xirdal.lmu.de (University of Munich, Germany)

‘Maxmod’ is an open-research-project in sociocultural anthropology. At its core stands long-lasting ‘thick participation’ in an online-community. The chosen community condensates around the shared interest in, and practice of modifying commercial computergame-software, particularly the game “Max Payne”.

The project’s first goal is to describe and understand the community’s social structure, the gamemodders’ cultural actions and artefacts, and most importantly, their explicit and tacit cultural knowledge. The virulent importance and meaning that transnational technoludic online-communities of practice have for globalization and related issues will become clear.

Thirdly the project aims to substantially contribute to a systematic basis for the advancement of sociocultural anthropology. The discipline has a lot to contribute to the understanding of the relation between human beings and cybernetic systems, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in particular. >> continue

(via mosaikum.org)

Alexander Knorr, xirdal.lmu.de (University of Munich, Germany)

'Maxmod' is an open-research-project in sociocultural anthropology. At its core stands long-lasting 'thick participation' in an online-community. The chosen community condensates around the shared interest in, and practice of modifying commercial computergame-software, particularly the…

Ethnographic study on bloggers in California & New York

Published on November 10, 2004 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, cyberanthropology, fieldwork / methods, internet

Dina Mehta, author of the blog Conversations with Dina, points to a ethnographic study on bloggers. She quotes:

“The bloggers interviewed say their preference for blogging over a web page because it is more dynamic “the rhythm of frequent, usually brief posts, the immediacy of reverse chronological order”, more focused “ the little distraction it provides”. A blog is perceived as a “superior alternative to sending mass emails” because it is freer and less intrusive”

“Bloggers feel they have an audience expecting regular, good postings, and an obligation towards them. Participants speak about feeling burnout, and having stopped blogging for a while.”

“The act of writing, as art and craft or as a support for thinking, is also one of the motors of blogging. A last reason for blogging is being part of a community. The publishing process becomes intrinsically collective, as people interact through blogs. “Blogs are natural community tools for people whose practice is to write and comment on the writing of others: researchers, poets, journalists.”

>> continue

Dina Mehta, author of the blog Conversations with Dina, points to a ethnographic study on bloggers. She quotes:

"The bloggers interviewed say their preference for blogging over a web page because it is more dynamic “the rhythm of frequent, usually brief…

Japanese Cybercultures – Ethnographic Studies

Published on October 19, 2004 by lorenz Posted in anthropology in the news, Asia, books, cyberanthropology, internet, technology

Leslie M. Tkach-Kawasaki, University of Tsukuba (Japan), Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies

What is your image of Japan? A technologically hip nation of cyber-savvy samurai? A land where culture can be both cute and conformist? In Japanese Cybercultures, editors Nanette Gottlieb and Mark McLelland challenge our perceptions of Japan and the Internet through a range of fascinating perspectives.

Adding to a growing body of ethnographic studies focusing on Internet use in different countries, the three thematic sections of the book — popular culture; gender and sexuality; and politics and religion — demonstrate how the use of the Internet is both entrenched in and changing various perspectives of daily life in Japan. >> continue

Leslie M. Tkach-Kawasaki, University of Tsukuba (Japan), Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies

What is your image of Japan? A technologically hip nation of cyber-savvy samurai? A land where culture can be both cute and conformist? In Japanese Cybercultures, editors Nanette Gottlieb…