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.