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Una Etnografía Multi-Situada

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Una Etnografía Multi-Situada UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA INFORMACIÓN Departamento de Periodismo III (Teoría General de la Información) IDENTIDAD, COMUNIDAD Y DIÁSPORA EN LOS CIBERMUNDOS : UNA ETNOGRAFÍA MULTI-SITUADA MEMORIA PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE DOCTOR PRESENTADA POR Israel Vázquez Márquez Bajo la dirección de los doctores Cristina Peñamarín Javier Echeverría MADRID, 2013 © Israel Vázquez Márquez, 2013 Universidad Complutense de Madrid Facultad de Ciencias de la Información IDENTIDAD, COMUNIDAD Y DIÁSPORA EN LOS CIBERMUNDOS: UNA ETNOGRAFÍA MULTI-SITUADA Tesis doctoral realizada por ISRAEL VÁZQUEZ MÁRQUEZ dirigida por CRISTINA PEÑAMARÍN JAVIER ECHEVERRÍA Programa de Doctorado Planteamientos Teóricos, Estructurales y Éticos de la Comunicación de Masas Departamento de Periodismo III (Teoría General de la Información) Madrid, 2013 © ISRAEL VÁZQUEZ MÁRQUEZ, 2013 Resumen Esta tesis doctoral es un estudio etnográfico sobre los usuarios de There.com y sobre lo que hicieron cuando este cibermundo dejó de funcionar el 9 de marzo de 2010. Muchos de estos usuarios emigraron a otros cibermundos y lugares digitales llevando consigo sus identidades de There y desarrollando un flujo de actividad dentro de Internet al que he denominado “ciberdiáspora”. La tesis se divide en tres partes. La primera parte presenta una introducción al objeto de estudio a través de una revisión teórica que aborda algunas cuestiones específicas sobre los cibermundos: ¿Qué son exactamente los cibermundos? ¿Por qué debemos estudiarlos? ¿Qué los diferencia de otros medios similares como los videojuegos o la Realidad Virtual? ¿Cómo entienden los usuarios su experiencia en los cibermundos? ¿Qué sabemos acerca de la gente que se conecta a ellos? ¿Qué tipos de identidad y comunidad podemos encontrar dentro de ellos? La segunda parte presenta la metodología utilizada para realizar la investigación y cómo se fue redefiniendo y adaptando a lo largo de la misma. La metodología empleada puede ser descrita como una “ciberetnografía multi-situada” puesto que engloba exploraciones etnográficas en más de un lugar digital, siguiendo un proceso de ciberdiáspora originado y desarrollado dentro de Internet. Por último, la tercera parte es el relato etnográfico resultante de la investigación que realicé con una particular “ciberetnicidad” dentro de Internet: los denominados “thereianos”, miembros del cibermundo There.com. La historia de la ciberdiáspora There es la historia de los lazos que sus miembros formaron antes y después del cierre de este cibermundo. Es una historia acerca de su determinación por permanecer juntos y sus esfuerzos por reconfigurar y reconstruir su identidad grupal y su cultura en el espacio de Internet. Abstract This doctoral thesis is an ethnographic study of users from There.com and what they did when this cyberworld closed on March 9th 2010. Many of them migrated to other cyberworlds and digital places, carrying their There identities with them and developing a flux of activity within the Internet that I have called “cyberdiaspora”. The thesis is divided in three parts. Part I presents an introduction to the topic through a theoretical review that addresses some specific research questions regarding cyberworlds: What, exactly, are cyberworlds? Why should we study them? What differentiates them from other similar media such as videogames or Virtual Reality? How do users understand cyberworlds? What do we know about people playing them? What types of identity and community construction can be found within them? Part II details the methodology used to conduct the research and how it was redefined and adapted over the course of the research. This methodology can be described as a “multi-sited cyberethnography” since it involves ethnographic explorations in more than one digital place, closely following a process of cyberdiaspora originated and developed within the Internet. Finally, Part III is the resulting ethnographic account of the research I made with a particular “cyberethnicity” within the Internet: the so-called “therians” or “thereians”, members of the cyberworld There.com. The story of the There cyberdiaspora is the story of the bounds their members formed before and after the closure of this particular cyberworld. It is a story about their determination to remain together and their efforts to reconfigure and recreate their unique group identity and their culture across the Internet. A mis padres, Eva y Nacho AGRADECIMIENTOS Son muchas las personas e instituciones que me han acompañado durante este largo viaje que culmina ahora con la defensa de esta tesis doctoral. Un viaje intelectual, electrónico y físico que, como la vida misma, ha tenido varios momentos y etapas, en diferentes ciudades, en diferentes contextos, en diferentes realidades. Quiero, por tanto, expresar mi agradecimiento a todos aquellos que en algún u otro momento de este viaje han mostrado su apoyo e interés en mi investigación. En primer lugar, por supuesto, quiero agradecer a mis padres, Eva y Nacho, el apoyo y confianza que han depositado en mí desde el mismo momento en que decidí embarcarme en esta aventura llamada Doctorado, una aventura que nunca pesamos me llevaría a pasar varios meses de mi vida en el extranjero, con las situaciones y sentimientos que este tipo de separación familiar conlleva. Esta tesis es también un reflejo de todas esas situaciones y sentimientos: esas despedidas en el aeropuerto, esos reencuentros en el mismo, esas llamadas por Skype y por Viber, esos mensajes por WhatsApp, esos intercambios de imágenes, esos cumpleaños en la distancia, etc. Todo ello implica no sólo a mis padres sino a toda mi familia, en especial a mi hermano Álvaro, a mis abuelos Francisco y Milagros, y a mi tío Javier. Esta tesis es también para ellos. También quiero agradecer especialmente a mis directores de tesis, Cristina Peñamarín y Javier Echeverría, la confianza e interés que han mostrado en todo momento por este proyecto, y las valiosas sugerencias, comentarios y recomendaciones de lectura que me han brindado durante todos estos años, tanto en persona como en los largos mensajes cruzados por correo electrónico. Espero haberles aportado un poco de lo mucho que ellos me han aportado a mí, en lo académico y en lo personal. Otro agradecimiento especial es para Wencesalo Castañares, Gonzalo Abril y Héctor Fouce. A los dos primeros por descubrirme qué era eso de la Semiótica cuando aún era estudiante de Licenciatura y por los valiosos consejos, recomendaciones y conversaciones sostenidas durante tantos años, que aparecen aquí más de lo que parece. A Héctor, por tantas y tantas conversaciones dentro y fuera de la universidad, por tantos consejos y recomendaciones, que espero algún día poder compensar. También quiero agradecer a las personas que me acogieron durante mis aventuras en el extranjero. A Celia Pearce, por permitirme pasar diez estupendos meses en el Georgia Institute of Technology de Estados Unidos, por su continuado interés en mi proyecto y por haberme ayudado en varios aspectos fundamentales de la tesis. También le agradezco especialmente el que me diera la oportunidad de participar como beta-reader en el libro Ethnography and Virtual Worlds, cuya atenta lectura fue también inspiradora para varias partes de este trabajo. A Susana Pajares Tosca, por su inestimable ayuda durante mi estancia en la IT University of Copenhagen y por el comienzo de una colaboración que espero se extienda durante varios años. También quiero dar las gracias a mis colegas de Licenciatura, que aún siguen bromeando sobre mi fascinación por Walter Benjamin y otros autores que tuvimos que leer por aquel entonces: Rafael Martínez, Miguel Delgado, Juan Garrosa, Anko Ordoñez, Lola Hierro, Enrique Mencía, José Carlos Alsó. También a mis compañeros de Doctorado, especialmente a Isabel Gamero, por tantas interesantes tertulias y paseos filosóficos y cinematográficos. A mis amigos del instituto, Juan Luis Uceda, David Martínez, María Lora, Fernando Parralejo y Álvaro Sanz. A mis colegas “musicales”, Fernán del Val, Gonzalo Fernández Monte, Nekane García y Sara Revilla, por tantos buenos momentos en diferentes congresos y fuera de ellos. A Clara Megías, por esa interesante vida paralela que llevamos y por estar siempre ahí, desde los tiempos de La Casa Encendida. A Rubén Díez, por esos paseos etnográficos por Madrid Río y alrededores. A Joan Pons, por tantos momentos inolvidables recorriendo las calles de Atlanta y comentando las novelas de Vila-Matas. A Tomás Sánchez Criado, por las interesantes tertulias literarias, en especial aquella en la librería La Central de Callao, cuyos ecos resuenan en varias partes de este texto. A Susan Campos, también por las tertulias, y por sus valiosos consejos y muestras de apoyo. A mis compañeros del grupo de investigación Semiótica, Comunicación y Cultura, por los interesantes debates semióticos y de todo tipo, y por brindarme un bonito espacio de pensamiento y reflexión colectiva. Y de nuevo a Cristina Peñamarín, por darme la oportunidad de pertenecer a este grupo. Más agradecimientos para Víctor Díez, Lorenzo Soto y Javier Madueño, por esa bonita aventura musical que fue Numero, y por la amistad sostenida durante tantos años. A Elena Merlo y Javier García, por esa otra aventura llamada Gatonieve. Y también a Manuel Sánchez Cachero, Oscar de la Fuente y Luis Casquero, por Fira Fem y aquellos inolvidables días entre Tribunal y Carabanchel creando sonidos de todo tipo. A Manu González y la revista Go Mag, por brindarme un espacio para dar rienda suelta a mi vena periodística y por haberme dado la oportunidad de ir a tantos y tantos conciertos y festivales musicales, los cuales fueron muchas veces el mejor de los descansos para esta tesis. A Almudena Belmonte, también por la música, y por todo lo que descubrimos y compartimos juntos hace tiempo. Por último, me gustaría dedicar un agradecimiento especial a las dos personas que más de cerca han sufrido el desarrollo de esta tesis, al principio y al final de la misma, respectivamente. A Elena Gómez, por su apoyo y comprensión durante la primera etapa de esta investigación, por todo lo que vivimos juntos y por seguir siendo una de las personas más especiales que conozco.
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