Race and racialization in cyberspace

Many times race and racialization does not occur in cyberspace. If no race is defined Kolko claims that the default race is white.

Cyberspace

A virtural world created by networking tools like the Internet. It is a place where people can be identified only by words and computer commands.

Heritage:

The dictionary definition is something the is not material that is passed down through generations such as customs and traditions. McPherson explains that heritage is used as something that every southerner should be striving to protect. She says that the sites she visited refer to southern heritage numerous times.

@race

A command that could be used in a MUD to define our race. It is usually not a valid command in most MUD’s. Kolko decided to add it to a MUD that she started up called MOOScape.

Identity Tourism

The idea that networks like the Internet have the ability to strip us down to just minds. That leaves us free to develop whatever identity we want to develop. We are not defined by our physical being but rather what we say and think. We have the ability online to visit or try out different identities.

Picture Brides

A term given to the practice of Japanese men and women when they exchanged pictures before partaking in an arranged marriage. Usually the couple would not meet very long before their wedding day and a picture is all they had of each other.

Race vs. ethnicity

Race groups larger groups of people. It is based primarily on appearance. Ethnicity, on the other hand, is based on where a person is from and the customs and traditions that he/she observes. People from different ethnicity can belong to the same race. People from different races probably are not recognized as the same ethnicity.