----- Original Message -----
From: "dimplegodiwala" <dimplegodiwala@???>
To: <infoSWIF@???>
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 12:32 AM
Subject: [infoSWIF] Gender and Sexuality: Britain on
the internet
> RESEARCH IN PROGRESS: CALL FOR CHAPTERS
>
> Internet consumers
>
> This research in progress is aimed at being
disseminated in the form
> of a book.
> Contributory chapters are invited.
> Gender studies scholars, scholars
> studying the changing nature of sexualities,
scholars of
> masculinities, gay studies,
> queer theory are invited to contribute.
>
>
> Abstract
>
> The project seeks to explore the changing nature of
culture and
> identity in Britain,
> with special focus on adult sexuality and new modes
of communication.
> The
> penetration of the domestic sphere by the internet
has made possible
> interaction
> between people from all over the UK and
transnationally in terms of
> social life. The
> internet demands different rules for communication.
The consumer has
> to learn
> efficient means of making he/rself understood:
brevity and speed are
> of essence.
> Social life is no longer restricted to the local but
has national and
> transnational
> possibilities in an immediate and accessible
fashion. The traditional
> evening of
> going to a pub, watching TV, or seeing a film is
changing as
> consumers surf the net
> chatting with strangers who may be hundreds of miles
away. Isolation
> is kept at bay
> as consumers engage in chat. These changing
boundaries of social
> interaction has
> impacted upon the domestic life of adults, making
possible intimate
> as well as
> fleeting relationships between members of the same
and opposite sex
> as never
> before, offering opportunities for intimate
interaction in the
> privacy of one's home,
> twenty-four hours a day. The modes of communication
themselves have
> changed:
> brief jargonistic exchanges may well be the norm on
the internet. The
> impact of this
> new technology on the consumer (of the internet) has
made possible a
> new source
> of entertainment and leisure, the chat-room. Here,
local, national
> and transnational
> identities are formed as they interact through time
and virtual
> space. This affects
> communication, gender identities and gender
relations in a new way.
>
>
> Methodological approach and Involvement of users
>
> This aims to be a survey based study, focusing on
different groups of
> chat-room
> consumers: heterosexual women and men in their 40s
and 50s; gay men
> and
> women, supported by a qualitative analysis. Gender
studies scholars,
> scholars
> studying the changing nature of sexualities,
scholars of
> masculinities, gay studies,
> queer theory are invited to contribute.
>
> Face to face or internet interviews will be
conducted by the
> contributors, contacting
> consumers of the internet community through the
internet. Straight
> men and women
> (married and unmarried), gay men and lesbian women
of the ages 35+
> will be
> interviewed. They will be asked to talk about how
the internet has
> changed their
> lives in social and personal ways.
>
> Sample interview questions:
> Were you computer literate before you discovered
chatrooms?
> Isn't there too much jargon used in chat (such as
OMG, LOL, ROFL) and
> how did
> you learn it?
> Has your typing speed improved since using chat
rooms and instant
> messaging?
> Do you go to aol or internet `bashes'?
> Has your social life changed since you started going
to these?
> Has using chatrooms and IM impacted upon your social
life and the
> structure of
> your day? e.g., do you watch less TV?
> Have you dated many people through the internet?
>
> This study aims at a constructive dialogue between
academic
> researchers and
> consumers, to analyse changing ways of communication
and also
> changing sexual
> trends in the various consumer groups, focusing on
consumers in the
> UK.
>
> Chapters
>
> Section I
> 1. The changing nature of communication
> 2. Internet communication: Email, IM, Chatrooms and
text
> 3. Jargon and brevity: Language on the internet
> Section II Changing Identities
> 1. Married men
> 2. Married women
> 3. Straight men
> 4. Straight women
> 5. Gay men
> 6. Gay women
> 7. National or International travellers
>
>
> Please send your 500-800 word abstract to
DimpleGodiwala@??? by
> July 30,
> 2004 stating clearly which methodology you are going
to adopt in your
> research.
> Please subtitle your abstract with the research
focus, e.g., `Gay
> men' etc.
>
> Editor:
> Dr. Dimple Godiwala
> York St John College
> Lord Mayor's Walk
> York YO31 7EX
>
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