Not (only) virtual playgrounds.
Previous analysis made clear, that Virtual Worlds like Second Life or The Palace are not only a virtual playground as Turkle stated in 1995, but can be deemed as an enhancement of real-life possibilities on an economical, a social and also religious level as Jakobsson pointed out online about ten years later. But in contrast to the increasing importance and influence of these new environments on the religious discourse, the research area of so-called “Virtual Worlds” has mostly been excluded and sometimes even banned from scholarly attention up to now.
The Summer School “Digital Religion. Research in Virtual 3D Environments?”, a cooperation of the University of Bremen and the Jacobs-University (Bremen) will try to fill this research gap and deal with the question to what extent changes or inventions in the processes of performance, interaction and communication are caused by the change of media.
days to discuss and connect
Instructed by more than 10 international teachers, the participants of the Summer School will engage for ten days (July 30 to August 09) into the interdisciplinary study of practical methods and theoretical approaches for the scientific handling of ritual and media. The media will not only be subject to methodological, theoretical and practical research and discussion but will also serve as platform for academic exchange and teaching. After this Summer School participants will be able to design and perform research projects on religion in and within Virtual Worlds
(Pictures: “Make SLove Not Warcraft” by moggs oceanlane, Your Digital Life by Thomas Hawk.)
