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tophokles's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
alexander0's review against another edition
4.0
This book is one of the first books dealing with "virtual world" ethnography, and doing so it positions itself as not-quite digital ethnography. It takes a step-by-step — as linear as can be — look at ethnography in "virtual worlds". Particularly, "virtual" for all practical purposes here is basically video game life, and not exactly "virtual" in the philosophical sense of Deleuze, Bergson, or Peirce. That said, this book definitely applies outside of that space.
This book functions as a handbook to studying anything as rich and lively as what video games afford. For example, this book can be used to look at digital social spaces of digital platforms, group ware, video games, etc. For that reason, this book is highly practical.
Also it is nice to see this book attempts to explain primarily from the three authors' works as a way to create clear comparisons between those works and how to do those works. As a modern method, ethnography is not understood by simply reading its studies. Field notes, the primary data of ethnography, are not understood simply by reading. They are understood by living with the data and those who generate that data. This book makes it clear how one can "live with" digital informants and their data in a clear way that many books considering digital sites do not.
That said, there are alternatives. Netnography, and Digital Ethnography books are beginning to be published more regularly. I have about 5 of them, but to my understanding, this one is the most arranged to be used like a clear handbook. I would also pair this with _Digital Fieldnotes_ and _Ethnography for the Internet_ for a more broad and complete look at ethnography in digital spaces. For a more deep dive into this particular book, I suggest picking up _My Life as a Night Elf Priest_ by Nardi and Boellstorff's ethnography on Second Life. Those are the two most popular references in literature for this kind of ethnography, and they are referenced throughout this book.
This book functions as a handbook to studying anything as rich and lively as what video games afford. For example, this book can be used to look at digital social spaces of digital platforms, group ware, video games, etc. For that reason, this book is highly practical.
Also it is nice to see this book attempts to explain primarily from the three authors' works as a way to create clear comparisons between those works and how to do those works. As a modern method, ethnography is not understood by simply reading its studies. Field notes, the primary data of ethnography, are not understood simply by reading. They are understood by living with the data and those who generate that data. This book makes it clear how one can "live with" digital informants and their data in a clear way that many books considering digital sites do not.
That said, there are alternatives. Netnography, and Digital Ethnography books are beginning to be published more regularly. I have about 5 of them, but to my understanding, this one is the most arranged to be used like a clear handbook. I would also pair this with _Digital Fieldnotes_ and _Ethnography for the Internet_ for a more broad and complete look at ethnography in digital spaces. For a more deep dive into this particular book, I suggest picking up _My Life as a Night Elf Priest_ by Nardi and Boellstorff's ethnography on Second Life. Those are the two most popular references in literature for this kind of ethnography, and they are referenced throughout this book.
goolaina's review against another edition
4.0
a good read for anyone looking to get an overview of studying virtual worlds through ethnography. not particularly in-depth in terms of methods or theory, bit enough to get your started in the right direction.
garberdog's review against another edition
4.0
I was assigned this book for a class I took that offered an introduction to ethnographic methods. This handbook provides a succinct, easy to read, and helpful entry into the method of ethnography, with a particular emphasis on research conducted in virtual worlds (e.g. Second Life); however, this book is designed to be beneficial to anybody pursuing ethnographic research. While you may want to read additional, more thorough texts to get a better grasp on the particulars, this book is an excellent beginner's guide to ethnography.
dokudanjou's review against another edition
5.0
Extremely helpful and easy to read. Recommended for anyone using (or thinking of using) ethnographic methodology, whether online or not.
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