Hi
I came across an interesting paper today - serendipity at work here!
Religion and Technology by Lily Kong ( Area:11.4). It's on line I think -
you should find it via a social science engine. If you transfer OE for
religion its an interesting read/review about e-groups. Apparently knocking
is called thumbing in the literature and the result is flaming! As one who
has knocked and flamed this struck a chord! She discusses whether an e-group
can become mature - as some believe, or whether they are doomed to flame out
- as others think. She says their is little empirical evidence as yet in the
literature to say. There's hope yet.
She discusses some of the issues in religion about the centre and the
margins, their function, their relation to modernity and post-modernity and
how e-groups try to be counter culture and can be occupied by the centre.
She also warns of the dangers of imperialism and masculine hegemony on the
web. Its worth a read.
When we consider our group from sacred/profane, political/ poetic
perspectives as she does religion the parallels become overlapping with the
outdoors which can so easily be understood on the same dimensions.
Regards
Chris
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