Join our mailing list!
©2007
StudentAffairs.com
All Rights Reserved
|
Book Review
Race in Cyberspace
edited by Beth E. Kolko, Lisa Nakamura, and Gilbert
B. Rodman
reviewed by Gerry
Muir
Associate Dean for Student Life
Drew University
There is no race. There is no gender. There is no age.
There are no infirmities. There are only minds. Utopia? No
internet. MCI television commercial,
"Anthem"
The above quote from a recent MCI commercial, reflects
the core of the discussion forged in Race in Cyberspace.
As a college administrator and diversity educator, I was
eager to explore a book whose purpose was to discuss the
concerns I saw everyday regarding race, identity and
technology; and more specifically, the Internet. I do not
believe I am alone in debating if it is truly possible to
create an identity in cyberspace without having one's true
identity influence the development of the cyber one; or in
questioning whether the Internet could exist without
reflecting the biases and values of its users. Race in
Cyberspace not only met my expectations in addressing
race issues, but also extended the debate to include the
representation of gender, nationalism, and other
socioeconomic identity indicators on the Internet.
Throughout the book's twelve essays certain themes arose.
One theme that was repeatedly addressed was the question
suggested by the MCI "Anthem" commercial: Is the internet
truly an intellectual zone, where race, gender and
nationality do not have any discernable affect? With
different contributors presenting various examples, the
answer became a resounding "no". Just as race is constructed
in our cultural reality, so is it constructed in our
cyberworld. Lisa Nakamura's essay, "Where do you want to go
today? Cybernetic tourism, the Internet, and
Transnationality," is one essay that stands out in
addressing this question by asking if the Internet can
actually erase race as its promoted to do. She states that
by looking closer, we can see that the Internet reflects its
creators and largest group of users to act as a vehicle that
distributes values which promote White, corporate, and
U.S.-based priorities to the world. Nakamura's points are
well supported in other essays, such as Jonathan Sterne's
essay, "The computer race goes to class: How computers in
schools helped shape the racial topography of the Internet"
and in Mark Warschauer's essay "Language, Identity and the
Internet", where examples are given as to how to view the
impact of accessibility to technology and what assumptions
are in place when discussing the perception that there are
no racial divides in cyberspace.
Boiled down, the message that was repeated again and
again through the various essays was how within the Internet
the intention may be to maintain a space without prejudice
or judgement towards race, nationality, ethnicity, religion
or gender, but the reality is that these factors are present
and do have an effect on how information is received, valued
and applied. The Internet is a tool, designed and utilized
by people, and thus becomes a reflection of the negative and
positive qualities within those individuals and their
cultures.
One message that lingers after reading Race, was
Warschauer's statement, "...the Internet can both magnify
existing inequalities in society while also facilitating
efforts to challenge the inequalities" (p. 157). The
Internet, like so many other tools, acts as a mirror,
reflecting our cultural values, biases, and divisions. Yet,
because of its growing accessibility and the increasingly
diverse populations utilizing the Internet, the Net could be
instrumental in creating greater equality through heightened
communication and understanding. The potential for the
Internet to address the biases, privileges, and prejudices
surrounding race will be fulfilled as we fulfill our
potential as individuals and diverse communities in
addressing these issues.
Race in Cyberspace will be an asset to those
people looking to explore how race, gender, and national
identity are portrayed on the Internet and within the media.
It will also benefit those who are working with technology
and want to be purposeful in developing their work to be
open and culturally sensitive to the populations they hope
to serve. While it touches on topics such as "passing" on
the Internet and how limited access to the ever changing
technology is creating a greater divide between the
opportunities of the "haves" and the have nots", it does not
pretend to provide answers or solutions. Race in
Cyberspace seeks to engage conversation around the topic
of how the Internet effects and reflects our culture and our
constructs of racial identities, not to foster illusions of
a cyber Utopia.
Printer
Friendly Version
|
