The “Virtual Heterotopias”: Reimagining Nature-Culture Relations

Datum zveřejnění:

26.6.2017

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.21104/CL.2017.2.01

Český lid poskytuje otevřený přístup k veškerému svému obsahu v rámci licence
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.

Abstrakt:

Revisiting the complex dynamics
of nature-culture relations should take into
consideration the juxtapositions between
multiple spaces, times and meanings that
constitute the current anthropological
understanding of the concept of
‘environment’. As digital technologies
were progressively incorporated into
the ways in which the influences of the
environment are perceived and reimagined,
a new type of places appeared: the ‘virtual
heterotopias’. They typify contemporary
conceptualizations of the environment
by simultaneously connecting and
differentiating multiple spaces and times.
In my paper, I draw upon the theoretical
groundwork developed by Michel Foucault
(1967) regarding heterotopias. I focus on
how nature-culture relations are mirrored,
signified and reimagined in virtual worlds
(i.e. MMOG worlds). I consider the virtual
worlds to be multileveled heterotopias
where the digital counterparts of real
elements from the environment seem
more ‘real’ and ‘compelling’ than the
originals.

Klíčová slova

heterotopia;heterotopology;nature-culture relations;virtual heterotopia;virtual world;game world

Text článku

Reference

Aarseth, Espen. 2008. A Hollow World: World of Warcraft as Spatial Practice. In: Corneliussen, Hilde G. – Rettberg, Jill Walker (eds.): Digital Culture, Play, and Identity: A World of Warcraft Reader. Cambridge (MA) and London (UK): The MIT Press: 111–122.
Bainbridge, William S. 2010. The Warcraft Civilization: Social Science in a Virtual World. London and Cambridge (MA): MIT Press.
Boyer, Christine, M. 2008. The Many Mirrors of Foucault and their Architectural Reflections. In: Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven (eds.): Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society. London and New York: Routledge: 53–73.
Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven. 2008. Footnote. In: Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven (eds.): Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society. London and New York: Routledge: 23–28.
Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven. 2008. Heterotopia in a Postcivil Society. In: Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven (eds.): Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society. London and New York: Routledge: 3–9.
Foucault, Michel. 1967 [2008]. Of Other Spaces. In: Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven (eds.): Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society. London and New York: Routledge: 13–29.
Hetherington, Kevin. 1997. The Badlands of Modernity: Heterotopia and Social Ordering. London and New York: Routledge.
Jormakka, Kari. 1998. Post Mortem Eclecticism. In: Knaller-Vlay, Bernd – Ritter, Roland (eds.): Other Spaces: The Affair of the Heterotopia. Graz: HAD-Dokumente zur Architektur 10: 125–153.
Martin, George R. R. 1996. A Game of Thrones. London and New York: Bantam Books.
Ndalianis, Angela. 2005. Neo-Baroque Aesthetics and Contemporary Entertainment. Cambridge (MA): MIT Press.
Pearce, Celia. 1997. The Interactive Book. Indianapolis: MacMillan Technical Publishing.
Rothfuss, Patrick. 2007. The Name of the Wind. New York: Daw Books.
Sohn, Heidi. 2008. Heterotopia: Anamnesis of a Medical Term. In: Dehaene, Michiel – De Cauter, Lieven (eds.): Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society. London and New York: Routledge: 41–50.
Tolkien, John R. R. 1954. The Lord of the Rings. London: Allen and Unwin.