A Typology of Ethnographic Scales for Virtual Worlds

We are in a historical moment when virtual worlds are coming into being as a significant mode of technologically mediated sociality. Alongside and within these virtual worlds, a new research community is in formation, one whose growth will only be stimulated by the continuing emergence of new virtual worlds. This community includes a wide range of researchers, from those who have studied virtual worlds for decades to students conceiving new projects. It is an interdisciplinary research community, including persons from many academic disciplines, persons working in nonprofit and industry contexts, independent scholars, designers, journalists, and residents (these are, of course, not exclusive categories). Two key questions that emerge around this new research community (indeed, all new research communities) are as follows: What is the object of our study? What do various methodologies bring to the table in terms of researching this object of study?