On the importance of netnographic research in understanding young people’s virtual/real lives

Abstract

This era of ubiquitous and unprecedented technological advancement has captured the attention of scholars in the humanities, encouraging them to investigate the nature of computing and the prolific use of technology in almost all aspects of human activity. Aiming to redefine humanity in the digital age, many scholars have brought about new theorisations that seek to answer new questions. By placing emphasis on this, the present essay reflects on new directions in the humanities that seek to decipher these technology-related changes. More particularly, my focus is to consider how Robert Kozinets’ netnography, as an emerging research method in digital anthropology, can help educators, parents, and students to understand the transformations that are taking place in non-digital situations. I inquire, in this article, about the role netnographers could play in assisting teachers and parents to bridge the gap between digital natives and digital immigrants by examining virtualised behaviour.